PhD student
As a PhD student, I explore the hidden world of Arctic plant roots through the project “The Importance of Deep Roots in the Carbon-Climate Feedback from Thawing Permafrost Soils” supervised by Gesche Blume-Werry. My research occasionally takes me to northern Alaska, where I work in a long-term warming experiment north of the Toolik Field Station.
Although nearly 80% of Arctic plant biomass is belowground, roots have often been overlooked in research—especially deep roots in permafrost ecosystems. Yet, as climate change accelerates permafrost thaw, these roots may play a key role by directly interacting with newly thawed soils and influencing carbon cycling.
Our project aims to uncover how Arctic plant roots influence decomposition and carbon cycling—helping us understand their role in a warming Arctic.