GSBI Speaks:

Soil Biodiversity and Resilience to Climate Extremes

Wednesday, March 17, 2021

8am-9:30am MDT, 2pm-3:30pm GMT

Moderated by Wim van der Putten (NIOO-KNAW, The Netherlands)

Climate extremes, including droughts, heat waves and floods, are increasing in intensity and frequency, but how soil organisms cope with these perturbations and what the consequences are for ecosystem functioning remains poorly understood. This webinar will consider recent developments in this fast-moving area of research with a particular focus on drought. Wim van der Putten (NIOO-KNAW, The Netherlands) will moderate the discussion. Panelists Tancredi Caruso (University College, Dublin, Ireland), Franciska de Vries (University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands), Mary Firestone (UC Berkeley, USA), and Cameron Wagg (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada) will present their research and ideas on how soil organisms respond to drought, how responses will affect ecosystems, and what might be done to ensure plants and soil systems can cope with more intense droughts in the future.