Jane Marks

Jane Marks is a Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Northern Arizona University and affiliated with the Center for Ecosystem Science and Society, focusing on microbial ecology and biogeochemistry across terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Her research centers on microbial life history strategies, soil biogeochemistry, phyllosphere fungi, and leaf litter decomposition dynamics. She employs advanced methodologies including quantitative stable isotope probing (qSIP), NanoSIMS imaging, and network inference algorithms to investigate microbial community structure and function at fine taxonomic resolutions, particularly examining how growth rates mediate microbial diversity-ecosystem process linkages.

Analysis of her recent publications reveals a cohesive trajectory exploring microbial growth rate as a fundamental driver in soil carbon cycling, nutrient dynamics, and ecosystem responses to climate change. Her work spans molecular-scale microbial interactions to macrosystem-level ecological patterns, with significant contributions to understanding nitrogen fixation in aquatic systems and fungal roles in stream ecosystems.

Dr. Marks maintains extensive collaborative networks across institutions, as evidenced by multi-authored publications in high-impact journals like Nature Ecology and Evolution and ISME Journal. Her research program demonstrates sustained activity through continuous publication output and social media engagement (X, Reddit), indicating active mentorship and externally funded projects in microbial ecology and ecosystem science.