In mid-May, we started a new greenhouse experiment in the Soil Ecology Working Group, which aims to study the impact of soil biodiversity and species’ ecological niches on ecosystem functions. The soils used in the experiment come from 50 fields in Southern Estonia, which have previously been studied within the framework of the FunFarm project. […]

We are thrilled to share some wonderful news from the soil ecology team – our PhD student Sarkal Jyakhwa has been awarded 2nd prize in the poster competition at the conference “MSCA in Estonia: Strengthening Research through International Talent”, held on 20 May 2026 in Tartu, Estonia. This was a landmark event: the very first MSCA […]

On May 5, 2026, the soil ecology working group went on a spring field trip to the hiking trails of Taevaskoja. Sunny weather and birdsong provided a refreshing change from the daily office and classroom work. The trip actively focused on observing spring nature. Among other things, we managed to see a common slow worm […]

Ahead of the anniversary of the Republic of Estonia, President Alar Karis recognized 203 outstanding people with national decorations, including Academician, Director of ÖMI and Professor in Molecular Ecology Maarja Öpik. Prof. Maarja Öpik was awarded the Order of the White Star of the Republic of Estonia, 3rd Class. Prof. Öpik focuses her research on […]

During the dark and cold days of January, the Northern Roots Forum on Regenerative Agriculture brought warmth, inspiration, and collaboration to the farming community. Spanning two days, the forum gathered hundreds of farmers, researchers, and agronomists to share knowledge, experiences, and practical solutions for building resilient agricultural systems. A highlight of the event was the […]

This month, good news just keeps coming! We are very pleased to announce that Jaak Pärtel received the 2nd prize at the natural sciences field for his bachelor’s thesis “Global Distribution and Abundance of Mycorrhizal Fungi” at the 2025 national student research paper competition. Jaak’s bachelor’s thesis was based on DNA samples isolated from soil […]

We are proud to announce that our institute’s director and professor of molecular ecology, Maarja Öpik, has been elected as an academician in the field of soil science by the General Assembly of the Estonian Academy of Sciences. As an academician, Maarja aims to strengthen dialogue between science, society, and policymakers, advocate for better research […]

On December 4, the Estonian Research Council organized the national science forum “TeadusEST 2025: Competition at the top of Estonian Science is Fierce”, which focused on Estonian centres of excellence and the evaluation of science. At the event, Inga Hiiesalu-Vahter introduced the centre of excellence AgroCropFuture, “Agroecology and new crops in the future climates”, where […]

On November 28, 2025, a career day was held at Viimsi Gymnasium, where, among other organizations, the Mobile Biology Class of the University of Tartu was invited. They conducted a workshop on cutting bacterial DNA with enzymes. During the workshop, students were able to learn about the latest bioscience methods and hear about various applications […]

Tanel gave a talk at the annual conference of the Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences „Green Transition and Smart Solutions: Science for a Sustainable Future“, which took place on November 28th, 2025 in Oecologicum. He explained the suitability and importance of natural experiments and introduced several studies he has conducted in the past years. […]

We are excited to announce that Tanel has started a postdoctoral fellowship funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie program at the University of Helsinki, where he works in the Spatial Foodweb Ecology group led by Professor Tomas Roslin. His postdoctoral fellowship will last from 2025 to 2027. Tanel’s research in Helsinki focuses on how past land […]

From 9–12 October, the seminar “Weaving the Northern Web: Integrating Soils, Plants, Insects, and Ecosystem Dynamics” took place on Saaremaa. The event brought together researchers and students from universities in Sweden, Finland, and Estonia to discuss the intricate connections that shape ecosystems — from the biodiversity networks hidden in the soil to the plants and insects above. […]

Last weekend (26–28 September 2025), members of the Estonian Mycological Society and invited participants gathered for the annual autumn fungal foray, exploring diverse landscapes in Lääne-Viru County (Virumaa). The program began Friday at Pajuveski village, with visits to the Vainupea coastal dunes and Eisma pine forest, followed by an evening mushroom quiz. Saturday featured excursions […]

Soil Ecology Work Group sociology partners participated in ESA RN12 ‘Environment and Society’ mid-term and Energy and Society Network 7th international joint conference “Societal Responses to Environmental Crises and Energy Transitions” in lovely Kaunas, Lithuania 24-25 September, 2025.   Eveli Neemre and Maie Kiisel spoke about how agricultural land users respond to polycrisis and the corresponding […]

The new school year has kicked off with great energy and enthusiasm for the Soil Ecology Working Group! Alongside our ongoing research initiatives, we are proud to celebrate the academic progression of three of our dedicated team members at the University of Tartu. We are incredibly proud of their achievements and excited to see how […]

From September 5-10, 2025, Prof Maarja Öpik, Tanel Vahter, and Inga Hiiesalu-Vahter joined plant ecology colleagues on a scientific expedition to Northern Finland and Norway to deepen their understanding of subarctic ecosystems. The team visited the University of Turku’s Kevo Research Station, where some previous mycorrhizal studies took place, and examined vegetation type changes along […]

From July 8–10, 2025, more than 120 researchers gathered in Tartu for the symposium “Microbes as Hidden or Prominent Players in Plant Life.” Participants came from every continent, and their talks and posters explored the diverse ways in which microbes influence plants. Over the course of three days, the symposium highlighted New Phytologist’s scope as […]

The soil ecology working group had a successful academic year. Among other achievements, Roland and Jaak from our working group successfully defended their final theses and will continue their research in our working group. Roland Lehemets’ master’s thesis focused on the Impact of Regenerative Agriculture Practices on Soil Biodiversity and was supervised by Tanel Vahter, […]

The soil ecology team was strongly represented at the international conference Ecology of Soil Microorganisms 2025. Networking across scales held in Helsinki on 15.– 19. June 2025. The conference brought together nearly hundred researchers from all over the world. Prof Maarja Öpik gave an inspiring talk about biodiversity and functioning of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in […]