Cornelis, Jean-Thomas

Research Interests

• Soil Biogeochemical Processes
• Soil-Plant Feedback Interactions
• Biogeochemical Cycling of Elements 

Current Research Areas

• Soil-Plant Feedbacks: By optimizing soil-plant-microbiome interactions, we aim to maximize the co-benefits of root exudation to support agroecosystem productivity and sustainability. Focusing on microscale processes in the rhizosphere, the hot spot of soil-plant-microbe interactions, allows us to study their contribution to root exudation and plant-microbe interactions. We are studying the intertwined feedback systems between plants, microbes, and soil in slightly nutrient-limiting conditions to maximize plants natural ability to forage for nutrients.
• Land-People Relationships: We investigate the duality of human interactions with ecosystems that affect soil properties and functioning. Specifically, we aim to understand the impacts of humans on soil carbon dynamics, ecosystem nutrient cycling, and soil isotopic geochemistry. By studying the large and small-scale implications of forest management and stewardship, we hope to contribute towards the development of more resilient ecosystems. We aim to examine the impact of human relationships with the land across time scales, from deep time association to brief contact. Working with Indigenous partners, we hope to contribute towards the revitalization of ancestral land stewardship practices.  
• Energy and Nutrient Cycling: We work to take research from the lab to the landscape, attempting to create practical and scalable solutions as tools for agricultural climate change adaptation. We look at micro-scale processes within the larger landscape through Life Cycle Assessments (LCA), field, and greenhouse trials. We embrace the flow of nutrients between ecosystems to investigate the cycling of these nutrients within soils. We are currently exploring biochar produced from forestry residues and its application to agricultural systems, working to understand the impact of this application within soil processes. We take stakeholder driven questions and translate intricate, localized soil-plant interactions into a broader context, providing digestible insights for decision-makers. We’re motivated by systems thinking and a holistic vision, promoting nutrient cycling, residuals utilization, and creating resilience within agricultural systems.