The Liao lab studies the various aspects of biological processes that link community, function and ecological recycling in natural and agricultural ecosystems.

We focus on the microorganisms that are primary agents of soil nutrient cycling and plant fitness.

The main questions we study include:

(a) What biological processes that mediate beneficial and antagonistic interactions between plants and their associated microbes?

(b) How dose the consequence of such interactions affect plant fitness, global nutrient cycling, ecosystem/agroecosystem function?

Our extension program's mission is to extend our fundamental research to put into new generation agricultural management plans.