Ashley D. Keiser

Ashley D. Keiser is an Assistant Professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, affiliated with the Stockbridge School of Agriculture and the Department of Organismic & Evolutionary Biology. She holds a Ph.D. from Yale University's School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, an M.Phil. from Yale, and a B.S. from the University of New Hampshire.

Her research focuses on ecosystem ecology, particularly the interplay between plant communities, soil microbial function (e.g., litter decomposition), and biogeochemical cycles. She examines how these processes are influenced by land management practices and climate change, with a goal to bridge local-scale mechanisms and landscape-level biogeochemical patterns. Key themes include carbon and nitrogen dynamics, plant-soil interactions, and the implications of shifting plant communities and climate on ecosystem function.

Dr. Keiser’s lab integrates field-based experiments and theoretical models to advance ecological theory. She is based at the Stockbridge School of Agriculture and maintains an office in French Hall (OEB Department). For inquiries, contact her via email or use the IDGP Google form.