I am a terrestrial ecosystems ecologist, with special expertise in the biogeochemistry of tropical and managed ecosystems. My research addresses links between plant-species traits and ecosystems processes, focusing on species and management effects on belowground processes, and subsequent implications for human impacts on soil fertility and carbon sequestration. My research is designed to enhance our understanding of human impacts on the biosphere, improve biogeochemical models, and help guide selection of species for management of agroecosystems in a sustainable manner.