Who We Are
The Ballhorn Lab has a great team of researchers!
Meet the PI
Dr. Daniel J. Ballhorn
My research focuses on the functional ecology of multispecies networks. Specifically, I am interested in how plant-associated microbes affect the chemistry of their host plants and how these microbe-mediated traits affect higher trophic levels in an ecosystem context. I further study how changes of the environment – such as climate change, increasing soil salinity, and invasive species – influence ecological communities. In this line, I am also working with local Indigenous Tribes to address problems they are facing as a result of the degradation of their natural environments. As a biology professor, my goal is to help young scientists from diverse backgrounds find their passion in research and develop the skills they need to succeed in an increasingly challenging world. Outside of research, I like to spend time outdoors with family, friends, and my dog, I try to improve my skills as a gardener, and I am (somewhat unsuccessfully…) training to become a better runner.
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Nathan Stewart
PhD Candidate
Nathan is a lifelong Oregonian and mycological enthusiast. His work revolves around the bacterial communities associated with mushroom-forming fungi in Oregon’s conifer forests. Of particular interest is understanding how different mushroom hosts influence the bacterial populations that live within their fruiting bodies and associate with their hyphae in the soil, and evaluating how the presence of bacteria affects the fitness and metabolism of their fungal hosts. More broadly, Nathan is interested in the mechanisms by which microbiome hosts exert influence over loosely-associated assemblages of microbes
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Robyn Dove
PhD Candidate / NSF Graduate Research Fellow
Robyn is a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Scholar (NSF GRFP). She was born in Eagle River, Alaska and moved to Portland in 2012 after obtaining a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Education from Western Washington University. She is fascinated by plant and soil biology and she spent several years as an urban farmer in Portland before joining the Ballhorn Lab as a PhD student. Currently, she is studying the composition and variation of the root nodule microbiome of the invasive legume, Scotch Broom (Cytisus scoparius). Her research is inspired by her desire to contribute to building more sustainable agricultural and ecological systems by considering the plant-microbe perspective.
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Amanda Grunwald
PhD Candidate
My doctoral research focuses on understanding the influence of inselbergs (isolated rocky outcrops) on bat diversity in Afrotropical ecosystems. This work is centered around the Mbam Minkom Massif located in the Centre Region of Cameroon. We collected abundance data from sites on and near the inselberg, as well as in distant lowland forest. We applied an integrative diversity framework to assess taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity within (alpha) and among bat assemblages (beta). This research contributes to our growing knowledge of bat diversity in the region and broadens our understanding of the ecological impact of inselbergs on biodiversity.
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Fay Pooler
Masters Student
My masters thesis involves studying the microbial communities found within the root nodules of the invasive legume, Cytisus scoparius (Scotch broom) and the native actinorhizal plant, Alnus rubra (red alder). Scotch broom and red alder co-occur in the Pacific Northwest and are known to establish symbiotic relationships with nitrogen fixing bacteria. My project is focused on the taxonomic diversity, similarities and differences of culturable bacterial and fungal endophytes living within the root nodules of both plant host species.
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Erica Hernandez
PhD Student
Erica Hernandez is a first year PhD student interested in plant-microbe interactions. Using silvery lupine and other lupine species, she will be working on assessing comparative diversity of non-rhizobial root nodule inhabitants and identifying species of beneficial bacteria responsible for mitigation of heat and drought stress in lupine (Lupinus spp.)
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Aparna Uphadyay
PhD Student
Aparna’s work aims to explore the quantitative variability of oregonin in leaves, roots, and bark of red alder and other alder species in the Pacific Northwest. Aparna is further studying the impact of environmental and ontogenetic factors on the expression of oregonin in plant tissues. This research has potential to provide valuable insights into the mechanism underlying plant defense strategies, symbiotic relationships, and response to environmental stressors, ultimately contributing to our broader understanding of plant ecology and ecosystem function.
Alumni
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Dr. Jess Nettle
NSF PhD
Jess is a passionate queer and non-binary field botanist specializing in ecological effectiveness monitoring, Pacific Northwest plant identification, and climate adaptation. Their graduate research focuses on evaluating the resilience of Oregon white oak in the Portland Metro Area with a focus on climate change. Jess is committed to advocating for equity in field science and enjoys projects involving environmental data analysis using R programming and ArcGIS. Their body of work centers around applied ecological research aimed at effective environmental stewardship of Pacific Northwest plant populations in a rapidly changing climate.
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Dr. Adrienne L. Godschalx
Adrienne was in the Ballhorn lab from 2012-2017 and forever in her heart. During her PhD research, she fell in love with chemical ecology--the idea that chemical signals and pathways can alter the ways in which organisms, and ultimately, communities, interact. After investigating the way nitrogen fixed by endosymbiotic rhizobia altered lima bean defense systems and interactions with predators for her PhD, Adrienne studied the scents and pollinators of a dung-mimicking flower across Europe during her postdoc based in Neuchatel, Switzerland, and then spent several years coaching farmers in creating ecologically-complex compost to boost their soil and crop health as a way to transition away from agrochemical reliance. Adrienne is perpetually curious about what it means to be alive, which led her to her current role investigating the tiniest living beings as a Tenure-Track Faculty at Lower Columbia College, where Adrienne teaches microbiology on campus and online (sign up for her class as a visiting student!) Adrienne enjoys watercolor, gardening, is an aspiring surfer, and goes to hip hop class every Friday. She and her wife are building out a tiny camper van to adventure with their wild and lovable doggos.