Steve Kutos

Steve Kutos is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at Loyola University Maryland. His research focuses on understanding plant-associated microbial communities and their roles in ecosystem health, particularly in soil health, carbon sequestration, and agroecological productivity.

• Fields of Interest: Community and Microbial Ecology, Environmental Microbiology, Genomics, Bioinformatics, Soil Science, Agroecology

Kutos integrates environmental microbiology, genomics, and ecological theory to study microbiomes across diverse landscapes, including urban environments in New York City, dry rangelands in New Mexico, coffee agricultural systems in Latin America, and farming landscapes in Northern Virginia. His work emphasizes cross-disciplinary approaches to terrestrial ecosystem conservation and inclusive lab practices.

Recent publications highlight his investigations into soil microbiomes in coffee farms, the impact of compost amendments on rangeland carbon sequestration, and microbial community dynamics in agricultural and natural systems. These studies employ advanced techniques in microbial ecology and bioinformatics.

Kutos's research aims to ensure sustainable land stewardship by uncovering links between microbiomes, soil health, and ecosystem productivity. His work has been published in journals such as Scientific Reports, Applied Soil Ecology, and FEMS Microbiology Ecology.