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I am a PhD student in Dr. Richard Phillip's lab at Indiana University where I study forest ecosystem ecology. I am interested in understanding how plants interact with soil carbon and nutrient cycles, particularly by way of their root systems - the poorly understood "hidden half" of plants! I take multiple different approaches to my research including field observations and experiments, controlled greenhouse experiments, data synthesis and modeling exercises. I was first drawn to ecosystem ecology because of my interest in understanding the interconnectedness of the natural world and this continues to inspire my work and love for science.

Entries by Adrienne Keller

How failure fuels science: Perspectives from two early-career ecologists

Posted September 28, 2019 by Adrienne Keller

Two scientists working at the lab bench, preparing fungal tissues for staining.

Saskia Klink is a PhD student at the University of Bayreuth, who is collaborating with Adrienne Keller. Recently, Adrienne traveled to Germany to work with Saskia on several research projects in her lab. This post is an outgrowth of their discussions together during that time. Check out their previous post to learn more about their… Read more »

The cycle of life… and death… below your feet

Posted April 23, 2019 by Adrienne Keller

Photo of a deciduous temperate forest in autumn, with leaves senescing and leaf litter on the forest floor in various stages of decomposition.

As an ecosystem ecologist, I study how the cycle of life and death influences forest structure and changes over time. A walk in the woods might illuminate the forest’s dynamism as you observe squirrels tending to their buried acorn caches and listen to woodpeckers feasting on grubs. In contrast, the plant community may appear more… Read more »

Engaged Science: 6 Tips for the Trump Era

Posted September 18, 2018 by Adrienne Keller

Protesters supporting science line a street, holding signs.

Hi ScIU Readers! I co-authored this blog post written for an audience of scientists with Vijay Limaye, Ph.D., for the Natural Resources Defense Council’s blog (and cross-posted on the Union of Concerned Scientists’ blog), but I think the topic is important and highly relevant to all scientists, scientists in training, and science allies so I… Read more »

Science without borders – why travel across the globe to dig in the dirt?

Posted August 28, 2018 by Adrienne Keller

In May, graduate student Saskia Klink and faculty member Johanna Pausch, both from the University of Bayreuth in Germany, visited the Phillips Lab in the Indiana University Biology Department to collaborate on a project with me. In our increasingly interconnected and globalized world, such international collaborations in scientific research are becoming more and more common…. Read more »

Getting to the root of the global carbon cycle

Posted March 6, 2018 by Adrienne Keller

Carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations in our atmosphere continue to rise, and global warming has transitioned from a possible future phenomenon to a present environmental reality. Given this reality, scientists are motivated to improve calculations of how much carbon there is on Earth and how it flows from the biosphere to the atmosphere and back to… Read more »

Biology: It’s as simple as baking brownies

Posted November 21, 2017 by Adrienne Keller

  This is a story about the fundamental underpinnings of biology, but it starts with a story about baking brownies. What do brownies and biology have to do with one another you ask? Well, let’s begin. First, I must introduce you to my dad, the World’s Best Brownie Eater. He’s the kind of guy who… Read more »

There’s no free lunch in nature: for plants, it takes carbon to get nitrogen

Posted May 30, 2017 by Adrienne Keller

a tree shown from an extreme low angle

Did you and your grade school friends ever find yourselves in intricate negotiations around the lunch table, trading that boring snack your mom packed you with the sweeter and more enticing dessert in your friend’s lunchbox? Well, similar to you and your childhood friends, plants also partake in such a trading of commodities around their… Read more »

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