Scientific Interests

I am interested in the physiological mechanisms that determine the suitability of terrestrial plants to their environments, especially in environments rich in ammonium.

My main scientific interest is the physiological ecology of nitrogen (N) acquisition and impacts of increased N availability on terrestrial plants. The distinct effects of NO3- and NH4+ on plant performance and species preference for one of these chemical species of N have been a constant in my research. I am examining the role of plant N fluxes in several key areas: ecological succession, primary productivity, carbon nitrogen interactions, physiology of inorganic nitrogen assimilation and the role of plant micro-organism interactions in nitrogen acquisition. Special attention is given to rhizospheric microbial consortia (free living N fixers, phosphate solubilizers and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi) in nitrogen acquisition, the mechanisms and fluxes involved are part of the research programme.