☀️The April issue is out now! 👉️ buff.ly/AvJpNdr 🌱 The image shows "DRI-Grass rainfall manipulation experiment, Western Sydney, Australia." Image credit: Sally Power. Read the article by Canarini et al. 👉️ buff.ly/5cqQ0wn

📢 Call for Expression of Interest – Marie Skłodowska-Curie Global Fellowship (MSCA PF) We are looking for a candidate to develop a proposal on: Nitrogen cycling in arid and/or drought-affected ecosystems, with a focus on soil microbial processes (including fungi).

⚠️ New paper out in @journalofecology.bsky.social Our study highlights the mechanisms associated with the stronger drought resistance of subordinate species in grasslands 🌱☀️ @albertocanarini.bsky.social @andreasrichter.bsky.social @sydney.edu.au @westernsydneyu.bsky.social

Enhanced below‐ground functioning is associated with higher plant resistance against drought: Implications for ecosystem functions

The results suggest that the subordinate species achieves higher drought resistance in biomass and soil functions via increased below-ground functioning. The data presented here provide a basis to ex...

dx.doi.org

Looking forward to speaking at the EGU Soil System Science Campfire: Soils under change on March 25. I’ll present “Living dry: microbial physiology under drought”, sharing insights from climate manipulation experiment on how soil microbes reorganize under drought. Join us online: lnkd.in/dw8UisRn

New co-author paper out in New Phytologist, collaboration with many wonderful people from the University of Vienna and more, lead by Kian Jenab and Christina Kaiser. We explored long-term nutrient deficiency on arbuscular mycorrhizal communities. nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal families and exploration‐based guilds exhibit distinct responses to long‐term N, P and K deficiencies and imbalances

Many agroecosystems face nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) or potassium (K) deficiencies due to imbalanced or insufficient nutrient replenishment after biomass harvest. How this affects the symbiosis bet.....

nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Feeling very grateful for an incredible month in the lab at the University of Bologna. We had the pleasure of hosting @petehomyak.bsky.social, organized inspiring Winter School lectures by @andreasrichter.bsky.social and Francesca Cotrufo, celebrated a newly accepted paper, and — most excitingly

Last days to join the winter school at The University of Bologna on Plant-soil microbe functionality under climate change (February 2026). I will present with @andreasrichter.bsky.social , Francesca Cotrufo and many others. Please join ( PhD students and early career) site.unibo.it/acws-2026/en

AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY WINTER SCHOOL - 2026

The 2026 Agricultural Chemistry Winter School (ACWS 2026) will focus on the interconnected challenges of climate change, anthropogenic activities, and the need to sustain a growing global population t...

site.unibo.it

I'm happy & proud to announce that @li-xiankun.bsky.social has successfully defended his PhD thesis last Friday--congratulations Dr. Li! 🎉🎊 Thanks to @albertocanarini.bsky.social (opponent), @edithhammer.bsky.social, @paulkardol.bsky.social, Katharina Keiblinger (examiners) for your feedback!

Call for Abstracts – 23rd World Congress of Soil Science (WCSS 2026, Nanjing, China) June 7–12, 2026 I’m excited to co-convene Session 409110: “Soil microbial life and death: impacts on soil organic carbon dynamics under global change.” With Qingfang Bi & others, see details🔽

Postdoc Opportunity – Methanotrophs and Drought Resilience Are you interested or working on microbial ecology and methane ? We’re looking for a motivated postdoc or final-year PhD interested in submitting a Marie Skłodowska-Curie or HFSP proposal with us (in Italy and/or Norway).

One month left to apply for a PhD position in my group on the ERC funded project EcoMEMO. Link to the PhD course and application: unibo.it/en/study/phd... Please contact me if you need more info on the project, the group and life in Italy in general. More info below⬇️

Earth, Life and Environmental Sciences - University of Bologna

unibo.it

If you are interested in the PLFA method and his interpretation, plese have a look at our recent perspective lead by a fantastic researcher, Stefan Gorka, and in collaboration with my dear colleagues @christinakaiser.bsky.social and Hannes Schmidt www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Soil bacterial neutral lipid fatty acids: Markers for carbon storage or necromass?

Intracellular carbon storage is a common strategy of soil microbes to cope with resource fluctuations. While fungal neutral lipid fatty acids (NLFAs) …

sciencedirect.com

I was recently interviewed in a podcast (in Italian) discussing the role of fungi in soil science and climate change. If you are interested here is the link: open.spotify.com/episode/01CB...

Funghi nel suolo (Puntata Centonovantacinque)

Co.Scienza · Episode

open.spotify.com

If you are interested in the behind the paper story of our recent article, here is the link communities.springernature.com/posts/soil-f...

Do you study soil microbes and their response to climate change? Consider presenting your research at #EGU25 at our session SSS4.5, which is in its 5th year. I hope to see you in Vienna!

Emily Solly@plantsoilemily.bsky.social · 2y ago

Are you interested in soils, microbes and biogeochemistry? Join us at #EGU25 for session SSS4.5 ‚Soil microbial responses to climate change‘. With @loutsi.bsky.social @albertocanarini.bsky.social and Albert Brangarí we are thrilled to have @ashish-malik.bsky.social as solicited keynote speaker!

I am trying to do exactly this going forwards, including prioritising who I do reviews for. Some lovely people at Montpellier created a database of non-profit and society journals in eco evo: dafnee.isem-evolution.fr

I wrote (ranted) on experimental design as I was frustrated as an editor at how little guidance students were getting. I underestimated the interest in the issue: it has been downloaded 10,000+ times! Clearly it’s something we need to be talking about more. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....

Principles of experimental design for ecology and evolution

Here I argue that we do not discuss experimental design, often until it is too late. This editorial seeks to begin a conversation about how and where to replicate appropriately.

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

This was a short-term experiment, but what we really need in ecology is long-term experiments that test these mechanisms in the field. In the current academic system this is pretty much impossible. (11/x)

I think also a great thank you to the reviewers, especially reviewer number 2 (what a cliché), as they pointed out many things that needed improvement for the publication! Can't wait for all the other things that are still coming out from this method!

Andreas Richter@andreasrichter.bsky.social · 2y ago

2/2 For this study, we developed a new method, #2H-vapor-PLFA-SIP, which labels soil with 2H-labelled water vapor, allowing to study the activity/growth of microbial communities without altering the soil moisture. Thanks to all involved! #TER @cemess.bsky.social, @univie.ac.at vie.ac.at

Out in @naturecomms.bsky.social with @loutsi.bsky.social @andreasrichter.bsky.social and many others. rdcu.be/d1Tyg This is really amazing if you are into drought and soil microbes. The method developed here will be part of my ERC_project, #postdoc deadline December 5th. More details below ⏬️

Soil fungi remain active and invest in storage compounds during drought independent of future climate conditions

Nature Communications - How climate change will impact microbial community growth is unclear. Here, the authors use a field experiment with varying global change factors, finding fungal growth more...

rdcu.be

Excited to share our new study in @naturecomms.bsky.social showing that soil fungi, unlike bacteria, remain fully active under severe drought conditions, and also invest in synthesis of storage compounds. Led by the amazing @loutsi.bsky.social and Alberto Canarini. Thread 1/2 rdcu.be/d1Tyg

Soil fungi remain active and invest in storage compounds during drought independent of future climate conditions

Nature Communications - How climate change will impact microbial community growth is unclear. Here, the authors use a field experiment with varying global change factors, finding fungal growth more...

rdcu.be