Professor Pablo Peri, the National Coordinator of INTA in Argentina, visited us on August 30th and 31st to discuss our current collaborations (DarkDivNet and TraitDivNet) and future plans. Prof. Peri had one-on-one and group discussions with various members of the Macroecology and Plant Ecology workgroups. He also gave a seminar presentation about INTA activities and his research in Southern Patagonia. Thank you very much, Pablo; we hope to see you again soon on either side of the world!

Associate Professor Marina Semchenko from our lab was awarded an ERC Consolidator grant to study the effect of land-use change on the interactions between plants and soil organisms. For the next five years Marina will study how grassland fertilisation and shrub encroachment influences genetic changes within species and how changes in plant population affect ecosystem functioning. See longer interview with Marina in the portal Research in Estonia. 

Congratulations and many exciting discoveries, Marina!

Weina Wang, whose home university is Northeast Normal University in China, joined the plant ecology working group.

In her doctoral disseratation, Weina studies how soil biota affects the recovery of vegatation in Songnean plain. Weina will stay in Estonia until the end of the year to collaborate with Kadri Koorem and other members of the working group. Welcome aboard, Weina!