We study how soil life shapes ecosystems and agriculture. The fungi we test as biocontrol agents are a good example—soil-borne allies that suppress pests, cut chemical use, and build resilient agroecosystems. By treating fungi as ecological partners, not just pathogens, we open new paths for healthier food systems and restoration.
This work is part of a broader focus on soil ecology. Earthworms, insects, and microbes all spend part or all of their lives underground, and their activity links directly to what we see above. Using greenhouse trials, field experiments, insect bioassays, fungal cultures, microbiome, and molecular tools, we connect these processes to reveal how soil organisms drive nutrient cycling, plant health, and pest dynamics—underscoring the central role of soils in sustaining life.
Many of our on-farm trials are carried out V-PART, our participatory research team that works directly with farmers across the Northeast. This connection allows us to test ideas not just in controlled settings, but in real farming systems—ensuring our science is both rigorous and relevant to grower needs.
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OUR RESEARCH
Soil Ecology
Exploring how soil life—earthworms, insects, fungi, and microbes—shapes ecosystems and agriculture.
Read more →Biocontrol with Fungi
Evaluating fungi as natural biocontrol agents for resilient food systems and ecological restoration.
Read more →WORK WITH US
Read moreRecent Publications
Amynthas Intrinsic Clock
Annual Endogenous Cycle and Thermal Drivers of Cocoon Hatching in the Earthworm Amynthas tokioensis.
Swede Midge Susceptibility in Kale
On-farm evaluation of swede midge susceptibility among four popular kale varieties.
Apolocystis bosanqueti Parasite
Apolocystis bosanqueti n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Eugregarinorida) from the invasive earthworm Amynthas agrestis (Annelida: Megascolecidae).
Media Coverage
A New Invasive Species? Here’s What You Need to Know About Jumping Worms.
UVM researchers talk worms and soil health on WCAX News.
Jumping worms hit the spotlight in this NYT feature on invasive species.
Field recording with Vermont Public: tracking worms on Outdoor Radio.
