Our research aims to inform what constitutes healthy, functioning soil by characterizing the relationship between free-living nematode communities, nematode pest suppression, management tactics, soil health, and crop yield. We integrate nematodes with other information on carbon pools, nutrient cycling, microbial communities and leaf nutrients to provide an integrated picture of soil food web functioning. In particular, we are interested in nematodes as indicators of soil health in response to management shifts, characterizing how nematode communities mediate soil carbon cycling and developing integrated solutions to control nematode pests.
