From the Ground Up: Soils for Urban Ecological Science and Community Engagement

September 9, 2024 @ 01:25 pm to 02:15 pm

Hayden Bock, Penn State University

106 Animal Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences
University Park

Abstract
Urbanization acts as a powerful ecological filter on urban flora and fauna, which significantly impacts biodiversity and ecosystem function. It also transforms how humans interact with each other and their environment, with both positive and negative consequences. This has led to a growing interest in understanding how to maximize the benefits of urbanization while minimizing its downsides, both for humans and urban ecosystems.

Urban soils are often forgotten amid the mass of roadways, buildings, and people, yet they hold unique ecological value. In this seminar, I will highlight the distinct ecology of urban soils, showing how they can provide new insights into urban ecological theory and serve as accessible spaces for engaging people of all ages with nature. By studying urban soils, we can not only make ecological findings, but also inspire a new generation of conscientious and engaged citizens through reconnecting them to the worlds world beneath their feet.

About the Speaker
Hayden is a postdoctoral scholar in the Fleishman Root Agroecology Lab in the Department of Plant Science at Penn State University. His research focuses on understanding the interactions between plant roots and soil food webs, particularly how these relationships influence soil biogeochemical processes. Prior to his postdoc position, Hayden earned his PhD from Cornell University, where he studied the ecology of soil mesofauna in urban environments.

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