Serita Frey
The research in my lab focuses on how human activities are impacting terrestrial ecosystems, with an emphasis on soil biota and nutrient cycling processes. We are specifically interested in how anthropogenic stressors (e.g., climate change, nitrogen deposition, agricultural management, invasive species) affect the composition and diversity of soil microbial communities and microbial-mediated carbon and nitrogen cycles. We work at the interface between ecosystem science, microbial ecology and soil science, combining microbiological methods with stable isotope analysis and a variety of soil physical and chemical approaches to examine structure-function linkages.
Award Type: Outstanding Associate Professor Award
Year: 2011
Courses Taught
- NR 400: Professional Perspective NR
- NR 501: Studio Soils
- NR 706/806: Soil Ecology
- NR 791: Preparation for Capstone
- NR 993: Sem/Anti-Racism in Science
Selected Publications
Knorr, M. A., Contosta, A. R., Morrison, E. W., Muratore, T. J., Anthony, M. A., Stoica, I., . . . Frey, S. D. (2024). Unexpected sustained soil carbon flux in response to simultaneous warming and nitrogen enrichment compared with single factors alone.. Nat Ecol Evol. doi:10.1038/s41559-024-02546-x
Geyer, K. M., Kyker-Snowman, E., Grandy, A. S., & Frey, S. D. (2016). Microbial carbon use efficiency: accounting for population, community, and ecosystem-scale controls over the fate of metabolized organic matter. BIOGEOCHEMISTRY, 127(2-3), 173-188. doi:10.1007/s10533-016-0191-y
Burd, A. B., Frey, S., Cabre, A., Ito, T., Levine, N. M., Lonborg, C., . . . Zeng, N. (2016). Terrestrial and marine perspectives on modeling organic matter degradation pathways. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY, 22(1), 121-136. doi:10.1111/gcb.12987
Kallenbach, C. M., Grandy, A. S., Frey, S. D., & Diefendorf, A. F. (2015). Microbial physiology and necromass regulate agricultural soil carbon accumulation. SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY, 91, 279-290. doi:10.1016/j.soilbio.2015.09.005
van Diepen, L. T. A., Frey, S. D., Sthultz, C. M., Morrison, E. W., Minocha, R., & Pringle, A. (2015). Changes in litter quality caused by simulated nitrogen deposition reinforce the N-induced suppression of litter decay. ECOSPHERE, 6(10). doi:10.1890/ES15-00262.1
Conant, R. T., Ryan, M. G., Agren, G. I., Birge, H. E., Davidson, E. A., Eliasson, P. E., . . . Bradford, M. A. (2011). Temperature and soil organic matter decomposition rates - synthesis of current knowledge and a way forward. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY, 17(11), 3392-3404. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2486.2011.02496.x
Angelopoulos, V., Sibeck, D., Carlson, C. W., McFadden, J. P., Larson, D., Lin, R. P., . . . Sigwarth, J. (2008). First Results from the THEMIS Mission. SPACE SCIENCE REVIEWS, 141(1-4), 453-476. doi:10.1007/s11214-008-9378-4
Sinsabaugh, R. L., Lauber, C. L., Weintraub, M. N., Ahmed, B., Allison, S. D., Crenshaw, C., . . . Zeglin, L. H. (2008). Stoichiometry of soil enzyme activity at global scale. ECOLOGY LETTERS, 11(11), 1252-1264. doi:10.1111/j.1461-0248.2008.01245.x
Six, J., Frey, S. D., Thiet, R. K., & Batten, K. M. (2006). Bacterial and fungal contributions to carbon sequestration in agroecosystems. SOIL SCIENCE SOCIETY OF AMERICA JOURNAL, 70(2), 555-569. doi:10.2136/sssaj2004.0347
Knorr, M., Frey, S. D., & Curtis, P. S. (2005). Nitrogen additions and litter decomposition: A meta-analysis. ECOLOGY, 86(12), 3252-3257. doi:10.1890/05-0150