Jared DeForest

My research goals are to improve our predictive understanding of how the physical environment alters the structure and function of ecosystems, either natural or anthropogenic. Most of my research involves investigating how soil microbes mediating the cycling of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus and its impact on tree productivity based on mycorrhizal associations. One decade-long project involves understanding the role of elevated soil pH and/or phosphorus influencing soil microbial functional capacity and forest carbon sequestration. My research draws from soil science, ecosystem ecology, microbial ecology, and forestry.

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Departmental Service

• Department Chair

Professional Service

• Editor, Soil Biology & Biochemistry

Selected References

• Dr. DeForest's Google Scholar page

DeForest, J.L., 2024. Mitigating Generative AI Inaccuracies in Soil Biology. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, p.109510. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2024.109510

Wagenknecht, R.L., DeForest, J.L., Linthicum, M., Roberts, D. and Snell, R.S., 2023. Tree regeneration response to a shifting soil nutrient economy depends on mycorrhizal association and age. Forest Ecology and Management DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2022.120580

Smemo, K.A., Petersen, S.M., Kluber, L.A., Shaw, A.N., DeForest, J.L., 2021. Temporal soil enzyme patterns provide new insights into the nutrient economy of acidic hardwood forests. Biogeochemistry.

DeForest, J.L., Dorkoski, R., Freedman, Z.B., Smemo, K.A. (2021) Multi-year soil microbial and extracellular phosphorus enzyme response to lime and phosphate addition in temperate hardwood forests. Plant and Soil.

Mason, L.M., Eagar, A., Patel, P., Blackwood, C.B., DeForest, J.L., 2020. Potential microbial bioindicators of phosphorus mining in a temperate deciduous forest. Journal of Applied Microbiology, 130, 109-122.

DeForest, J.L. and Moorhead D.L. (2020) Effects of elevated pH and phosphorus fertilizer on the ecoenzymatic stoichiometry of organic and mineral soils in an acidic mixed mesophytic deciduous forest. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 150: 107996.

Dove, N.C., Arogyaswamy, K., Billings, S.A., Bothoff, J.K., Carey, C.J., Cisco, C., DeForest, J. L., Fairbanks, D., Fierer, N., Kaye, J.P., Lohse, K. A., Maltz, M.R., Mayora, E., Pett-Ridge, J., Yang, W.H., Hart, S.C., Aronson, E.L. (2020) Continental-scale patterns of extracellular enzyme activity in the subsoil: an overlooked reservoir of microbial activity. Environmental Research Letters, 15 1040a1.

DeForest, J.L. and Otuya, R.K. (2020). Soil nitrification increases with elevated phosphorus or soil pH in an acidic mixed mesophytic deciduous forest. Soil Biology & Biochemistry, 142: 107716.

DeForest, J.L., and Snell, R.S. (2020). Tree growth response to shifting soil nutrient economy depends on mycorrhizal associations. New Phytologist, 225:2557-2566.