Plant-soil feedbacks in marine ecosystems
From terrestrial ecosystems we know that below-ground processes under microbial control are incredibly important for plant health, affect the outcome of plant–plant interactions, invasive species success, species abundance distributions, succession processes and, plant community composition and diversity. Research from our lab offers compelling evidence that they perform many of the same functions in marine ecosystems, including controlling host plant function and interactions with invasive species. Our lab is also exploring the ecological and evolutionary foundations for plant-soil feedbacks in marine ecosystems, the importance of environmental context, the influence of climate change, and how we can use plant-soil feedbacks to improve restoration strategies for marine plants and build resilience into our marine ecosystems.
Potential drivers and sources of variation in plant-soil feedbacks in marine and terrestrial ecosystems (from Piercey et al. In Press. J. Ecol.)
Current PhD opportunity
How below-ground processes in marine plants (e.g. plant-soil feedbacks) influence their health and resilience to environmental stress. This project is a collaboration between UNSW Sydney, The University of Sydney, The Sydney Institute of Marine Science and the NSW Department of Primary Industries, offering a unique opportunity to benefit from multi-institutional support and expertise, spanning a range of backgrounds.
See here for more details.
Relevant publications
Piercey RS; Gribben PE; Hanley TC; Moles AT; Hughes AR, 2020, 'Incorporating marine macrophytes in plant–soil feedbacks: Emerging evidence and opportunities to advance the field', Journal of Ecology, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.13536
Gribben PE, S Nielsen, JR Seymour, DJ Bradley, MN West and T Thomas. 2017. Microbial communities in marine sediments modify success of an invasive macrophyte. Scientific Reports. 7: 9845