Projects

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  Coevolutionary interactions between clover hosts and rhizobium symbionts

  Core Project

  Jen Lau and colleagues will explore how nitrogen addition affects legume-rhizobium mutualism and the potential evolutionary responses of legume hosts, aiming to understand coevolution dynamics.

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  Eco-evo feedbacks: How does rhizobium evolution affect pollination ecology?

  Core Project

  Researchers Adam Dolezal, Alex Harmon-Threatt, and others, are studying the interactions between clover, honey bees, and their microbial symbionts, and how they are impacted by symbiosis breakdown.

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  Translating science: Connecting the next generation scientist with K-12 educators

  Core Project

  This seminar helps GEMS trainees develop outreach activities and teaching skills, integrating research with education. It focuses on curriculum development and feedback from licensed educators.

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  Untangling multiple ecological drivers of rhizobium evolution under nitrogen enrichment

  Core Project

  Mackenzie Caple and collaborators study how nitrogen enrichment, light, and legume density affect rhizobium evolution. They examine if rhizobium quality recovers after stopping nitrogen addition.

Publications

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  Doyle et al., 2026

  Doyle, R.T., Su, X., Gallick, C., Blaszynski, M., Perry, E., Griesbaum, K., Oyetayo, L., Vereau Gorbitz, D., Lau, J.A., & Heath, K.D. (2026). Negative frequency-dependent selection maintains partner quality variation in a keystone nutritional mutualism. BioRxiv.

   

   

  https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.02.17.706392
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  Wargin et al., 2026

  Wargin, A., Heath, K., Lau, J., Dolezal, A., & Harmon-Threatt, A. (2026). Less cooperative belowground plant mutualists negatively affect aboveground herbivore growth and survival. Research Square.

   

  https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8745055/v1
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  Bedwell et al., 2025

  Bedwell, S. L., Lakis, I. M., Megow, A. R., Ricks, K. D., Fields, C. J., Lau, J. A., Whitaker, R. J., & Heath, K. D. (2025). A continuum of ecology and evolution contributes to mutualism breakdown between legumes and rhizobia. bioRxiv.

  https://doi.org/10.64898/2025.12.02.691918
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  Caple et al., 2025

  Caple, M. & Lau, J. (2025). Plant adaptation to soil nitrogen: the role of microbes versus the abiotic environment. Proc Biol Sci. 2025 Dec 17;292(2061):20252019.

   

  https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2025.2019
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  Vereau Gorbitz et al., 2025

  Vereau Gorbitz, D., Schwarz, C., McMullen, J. G., Cerón-Romero, M., Doyle, R. T., Lau, J. A., Whitaker, R. J., Vanderpool, C. K., & Heath, K. (2025). Plasmid transmission dynamics and evolution of partner quality in a natural population of Rhizobium leguminosarum. mBio 0:e02497-25.

  https://doi.org/10.1128/mbio.02497-25
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  Bolin et al., 2022

  Bolin, L. G., Lennon, J. T., & Lau, J. A. (2022). Traits of soil bacteria predict plant responses to soil moisture. Ecology, 104(2).

  https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.3893