Frantecologist

I am a soil and ecosystem ecologist, investigating how ecosystems respond to change. I am particularly interested in the role of interactions between plants and soil organisms in this response, and the consequences for ecosystem functioning.

I am Professor of Earth Surface Science at the University of Amsterdam since 2019, where I lead the Plant-Soil Ecology research group. I am a Highly Cited Researcher since 2021, and I serve on a range of national and international committees and editorial boards.

My current research focusses on how extreme events affect interactions between plants and soil microbes, and how these changes in turn affect the uptake and loss of CO₂ from ecosystems. I use a range of systems and approaches to study this, from large-scale field experiments to controlled laboratory experiments.

I enjoy communicating my research, as well as the importance of soils and the life that they harbour, and the importance of equity, diversity and inclusiveness in research, using a range of outlets. I am a columnist for the oldest Dutch nature magazine De Levende Natuur. You can see more media engagement here.

You are just as likely to find me in the field digging up some soil, as you are to see me dressed up giving a speech.