Ecosystem Ecology – K Rousk Lab

Our research focusses on the role of moss-associated, nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria in nutrient cycling in pristine ecosystems. How important is moss-associated nitrogen fixation for ecosystem biogeochemistry? And how much will it be affected by climate change?

We are also very interested in the relationship between mosses and colonising cyanobacteria. Do they benefit from growing together? Or is the relationship neutral—or even parasitic? How do abiotic factors affect this association?

We work with different moss and cyanobacterial species collected from across the globe, using traditional methods (e.g. microscopy) alongside novel approaches such as metagenomics.