Mariet Hefting

Dr. Mariet Hefting is an Associate Professor in Soil Ecology at Utrecht University's Faculty of Science, Department of Ecology and Biodiversity. Her research focuses on plant-soil interactions, nutrient cycling (carbon and nitrogen), and the impacts of global change on ecosystems, particularly in riparian zones. She has held academic roles since 2003, including Assistant Professor (2004-2018) and Associate Professor (2018-present).

Education includes a PhD (2003) on nitrogen transformation in riparian zones and postdoctoral research on nutrient uptake dynamics. She teaches courses on plant community ecology and leads projects like the Tea Bag Index for global soil decomposition studies and the LOGLIFE experiment on wood decay processes.

Research interests include decomposition proxies, climate change effects on soil organic matter, and greenhouse gas emissions from wetlands. Collaborations span institutions globally, addressing biodiversity and climate variability impacts. Her work integrates field experiments, microbial ecology, and trait-based approaches to understand ecosystem resilience.