Nadia Maaroufi
Presentation
My research is based on a fundamental understanding of ecosystem processes, aboveground and belowground communities, and their interactions particularly in grassland and forest ecosystems. Understanding these interactions are essential to better assess and predict how global change drivers affect ecosystem functions and services such as nutrient cycling and net primary productivity.
To accomplish this, I combine several disciplines, including ecosystem ecology, community ecology, ecological stoichiometry and global change biology. Working at the interface of different disciplines allow me to get a better understanding on how organisms and ecosystems respond to global change drivers such as anthropogenic nitrogen deposition, biodiversity loss and biological invaders. Finally, I aim to use this new knowledge about terrestrial ecosystem functioning and global change to inform the large public and decision makers.
Teaching
Course leader of the PhD course: Introduction to Soil science: Theory, Concept and Applications.
I am also teaching at the bachelor and master levels the topics below: Global ecology, Soil ecology, Microbial ecology, Urban ecology, Root Ecology & plant-soil interactions, Soil community ecology and Soil biodiversity.
Research
2022-present Importance of plant-soil interactions in urban ecology: potential to promote sustainable cities.
In collaboration with Lena Neunkamp (Uni. Münster, DE)
2021-2023 Belowground biodiversity of grasslands – conservation needs and potential to promote sustainable agriculture. FORMAS (co-PI)
(PI: Karina Clemmensen, SLU)
2019-2023 Land-use intensification alters ecosystem functions in grasslands: insights from the soil fungal community. FORMAS (PI)
2019-2022 Impact of global change on phyllosphere microbiomes in grasslands. SNF (PI)
2017- 2019 The effect of ecosystem engineers on soil functioning in agricultural and forest habitats
Cooperation
I am currently responsible to the long-field trials focusing on plant nutrition and soil fertility.
I am involded in the:
AgroMixNorth project: Climate-smart resilience through diversified cropping systems - Identifying springboards in Nordic and Baltic agriculture led by Prof. Anke Herrmann (2023-2027).
Background
2024 MBA in Sustainability and Management
SUMAS Business School, Gland, Switzerland.
2024 Associate professorship - Docent
Global change alters ecosystem functions: insights from the biodiversity under our feet.
Dpt. of Soil and Environment, SLU, Uppsala.
2016 Ph.D. in Biology
The effect of simulated anthropogenic nitrogen deposition on the net carbon balance of boreal soils.
Dpt. of Forest Ecology and Management, SLU, Umeå.
2011 M.Sc. in Biology, Ecology for Forest, Agronomy and Environment. Specializing in ecosystems functioning & management.
University of Lorraine, Metz-Nancy, FR.
2009 B.Sc. in Biology. Specializing in Biology of Organisms and Ecosystems.
University of Lorraine, Nancy, FR.
Supervision
PhD level
Bradley Sparkes, Dept. of Soil and Environment. SLU, Uppsala, SE
Diversified cropping systems: Synergies and trade-offs of soil carbon and nitrogen cycling. Co-supervisor
Previous supervision
Vestine Mukamparirwa. Potential of organic inputs from agroforestry tree biomass to improve soil nutrient content in two contrasting regions of Rwanda. Co-supervisor
2024 Dr Thu Zar Nwe. Direct and indirect effects of nitrogen addition on soil fauna and soil functioning in grasslands. Co-supervisor
2023 Dr Kaisa Torppa. Interactions between earthworms, nematodes and AM fungi and their role in the functioning of agricultural soils. Co-supervisor
2023 Dr Yikang Chen. Effects of nitrogen addition on plant and root-associated arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities and their underlying mechanisms in an alpine meadow. Co-supervisor
Master level
2022 Joseph Volery. Direct and indirect effects of nitrogen addition on keystone species in grasslands. Co-supervisor
Bachelor level
2023 Kris Hebeisen. Root Colonization Measurements of Beneficial Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Dark Septate Endophytes.
2022 Alice Lavarenne. Legacy effects of ley diversity on germination rate and growth of cereal crops.
2022 Lisa Gurtner. Effects of nitrogen addition on soil nematodes in grasslands.
2021 Sina Aregger. Impacts of plant diversity loss on soil nematodes in grasslands.
2020 Vanessa Fricker. Impacts of nitrogen addition and plant diversity on soil fauna in grassland ecosystems.
Selected publications
Nwe T.Z., Handa T., Kempel A., Soliveres S., Maaroufi N.I., Raymond-Léonard L., Pichon N., Cappelli S., Allan E. Collembola feeding traits respond strongly to plant community characteristics. In review in SBB
Castaño C., Glimskär A., Hallin S., Maaroufi N.I., Skånes H., Clemmensen K.E. Profiling fungal and arbuscular mycorrhizal communities in semi-natural grasslands and leys in a northern landscape. In review in Applied Soil Ecology
Mukamparirwa V., Bargues-Tobella A., Maliondo S.M.S., Mugunga C.P., Maaroufi N.I. Native and N2-fixing trees provide better green manure than fast-growing agroforestry trees in sub-Saharan Africa. In review in Applied Ecology
Cheng Y., Rutten G., Liu X., Ma M., Maaroufi N.I.*, Zhou S* (2023). Host plant height explains the effect of nitrogen enrichment on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities. New Phytologist
*Shared last authorship