Sören Eliot Weber, Dr. sc. nat.

Dr. sc. nat. (PhD), Plant Sciences

Resource Exchange and Partner Choice in the Plant–AMF Symbiosis. Advisor: Pascal A. Niklaus.

M.S., Plant Biology

Responses of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi to Multiple Global Change Drivers in Coastal Sage Scrub. Advisors: Jeffrey M. Diez & Michael F. Allen.

B.S., Biology — summa cum laude

Postdoctoral Research Associate

Plant–microbe interactions driving nutrient uptake and soil carbon sequestration in bioenergy crops. Developing Deep FUN-BioCROP.

Postdoctoral Research Associate

Root ecology of boreal peatlands under whole-ecosystem warming and elevated CO₂ at the SPRUCE experiment.

Laboratory Manager & Technician

Leveraging microbial competition to maximize bioenergy crop nutrient uptake

Submitted. PI: Sören Eliot Weber; Co-PIs: Jennifer Bhatnagar, Melissa Cregger. Requested cost-free RNA sequencing and metabolomics.

Disentangling the plant-microbial symbioses that enhance bioenergy crop productivity and resilience

Recommended for funding. PD: Ember M. Morrissey; Co-PD: Edward R. Brzostek; Co-I: Jennifer L. Kane, Sören Eliot Weber.

Terrestrial Ecosystem Science — Scientific Focus Area

PI: Paul J. Hanson & Daniel M. Ricciuto. One of 23 contributors — co-authored the initial submission on roots, defended the proposal to the reviewer panel, and co-authored the response to reviewers and DOE program managers.

The elusive structure and function of peatland fine roots

Equipment time and technician expertise. PI: Avni Malhotra. Participants: Sören Eliot Weber, Bram W.G. Stone.

Trade dynamics in the symbiosis between plants and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

PI: Sören Eliot Weber, Pascal A. Niklaus.

NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates

Research and Mentoring Program (RAMP)

Enhanced Nature Award for Applied Agricultural Mycorrhizal Research

Top Cited Article, Wiley

For "Plant functional traits are dynamic predictors of ecosystem functioning in variable environments."

G. Ledyard Stebbins Award

Emily Protain, Louise Tymrak & Jansen Nipko

Stella Rhodes

"Linking microbial biomass to Miscanthus nutrient uptake."

Lea Sophie Buol

"Partner choice and influence of defoliation on the arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis."

Kenya Gates

"Investigating mycorrhizal associations across a moisture gradient in the alpine tundra."

Plant Physiology — guest lecture

Plant and ecosystem carbon allocation.

Microbes and Global Change — guest lecture

Microbial phosphorus cycling.

Data Analysis in Biology — teaching assistant

Facilitated student analysis of ecological datasets.

Contemporary Analysis for Ecology — teaching assistant

Lectured and facilitated student analysis of ecological datasets.

Organismal Biology Laboratory — teaching assistant

Lectured, assisted experiments, proctored exams.

AMF maximize carbon gain by preferentially trading phosphorus for carbon with less dependent plants

Global change, roots, and mycorrhizal fungi

Chthonic connections: plant roots, mycorrhizal fungi & ecosystem processes

Plant roots in boreal peatlands under whole-ecosystem warming and elevated CO₂ track nutrients, not water

Diversity and trade in the arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis

Peer review board, Biogeochemistry

Including New Phytologist, Journal of Ecology, Functional Ecology, Soil Biology and Biochemistry, Trends in Ecology and Evolution, and Mycorrhiza.

Organized seminar visit by Dr. LaMontagne

Co-drafted Code of Conduct, TES Science Focus Area FY24–FY28

Formalized working conditions for technical staff, students, and senior researchers.

Grade-school and high-school outreach

"Plant soil interactions" and "Mycorrhizal mutualisms" — talks and Q&A.

R (fluent — tidyverse and base); Bash. Linear and non-linear mixed-effect models, structural equation modeling, ANOVA. Process-based ecosystem models: FUN-BioCROP, FUN-CORPSE.

Ecological Society of America (2012), International Mycorrhiza Society (2022), National Postdoctoral Association (2022), American Geophysical Union (2023).

English (fluent), German (conversational), Spanish (basic).