SOIL ECOLOGY GROUP
We connect basic science with practice and create evidence-based management guidelines to help maintain and restore soil biodiversity.
We are interested in patterns of soil biodiversity and its variation in natural and human-influenced systems. Our special focus is on fungi, including mycorrhizal fungi, but also bacteria, greenhouse gases and agricultural land-use.
NEWS
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Jaak participated in the Estonian 30-hour Wikipedia team article writing competition and won the first place
Workgroup’s bachelor’s student Jaak Pärtel participated in a Malaysia-themed article competition from November 9–10, where he, along with teammate Kaspar Sõukand, won the first place, earning the chance to travel to Malaysia and see the sources of their gathered information firsthand. During the competition, different Malaysian states were assigned to teams to write about in […]
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Start of school year and EcoFair
The soil ecology group kicked off the new academic year by participating in the EcoFair hosted by the department of botany on September 12th. At the fair, bachelor’s and master’s students had the opportunity to learn about the activities of various research groups, potential thesis topics, and internship opportunities. The soil ecology group also offered […]
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Funfarm fieldwork
At the beginning of August, when farmers were in full swing with the harvest, soil ecologists from the University of Tartu also began fieldwork for a project on agricultural soil biodiversity. The goal of the project is to get an overview of the condition of agricultural soil biodiversity in Estonia and to determine the impact […]
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Exchange students Ellen and Jutta from the University of Namibia are visiting the Soil Ecology workgroup
In an exciting cultural exchange initiative, Jutta Endjala and Ellen Nako, two enthusiastic Erasmus+ students hailing from Namibia, have embarked on a transformative journey at Tartu University, Department of Botany. The dynamic duo will be immersing themselves in the rich academic environment of Tartu for an intensive two and a half months. With a keen […]
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Inga became an Associate Professor
Our working group member Inga Hiiesalu was recently elected an Associate Professor of Molecular Plant Ecology! Inga’s main research interests include environmental DNA and species richness patterns of plants and AM fungi in natural and agricultural ecosystems. In addition, Inga is involved in teaching, mainly by organizing seminars of the Department of Botany and supervising […]
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Czech-Estonian mobility grant
Soil ecology workgoup is happy that to have been granted a 3-year mobility project funded by the Estonian and Czech Academy of Science. The mobility project involves teams from the Institutute of Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences (Dr. Jiri Dolezal’s and Dr. Jan Altman’s teams) and Department of Botany (Dr. Inga Hiiesalu) and […]
Soil Ecology
Who live in the soil? What is their role there? How do they interact with each other?
How do management and natural disturbances affect soil organisms?
These are questions that the Soil ecology workgroup at the University of Tartu is investigating.
Our special focus is on fungi, including mycorrhizal fungi, but also bacteria, greenhouse gases and agricultural land-use. We are interested in patterns of soil biodiversity and its variation in natural systems such as grasslands and forests, and in human-influenced systems such as arable fields and disturbed areas.
We connect basic science with practice and create evidence-based management guidelines to help maintain and restore soil biodiversity. The soil is alive and the soil biota within it is what keeps the soil, plants and entire ecosystems functioning.