The research emphasis of the lab is on the terrestrial ecosystem and the dynamics and diversity of soil biota of arid, semiarid and agroecosystems. The lab primarily focuses on the following topics: below ground processes, with emphasis on the relationship of soil invertebrates and detrital food web structures to primary production monitoring in rangeland conditions by maintaining soil health conditions; assessing success of rehabilitation efforts on disturbed rangelands, such as improvement of primary production, reverse desertification processes and rehabilitation of coal strip mines; biological management of soil ecosystems for sustainable agriculture, decomposition processes, and climate change effect on biotic components of soil biota