My main interest is ecology and ecophysiology of soil animals. Ever since my student days, I have been interested in how animals survive frost and drought in the soil. How do insects and earthworms tolerate their blood freezing to ice and survive being frozen for months at a time the in Arctic winter? How do collembolans absorb water vapors in seemingly dry soil and remain active despite the plants having long since withered?

I have been working with these fundamental physiological mechanisms for nearly 25 years, but also with more applied science:

Can toxins in the soil exacerbate the effects of climate change and climatic stress?

Can we improve the efficiency of predators used for biological control of pests so that they become more efficient in cold conditions?

Production of sustainable fish feed from worms that are abundant in rotten seaweed