I'm Itxaso (pronounced ee-cha-so) Garay, a PhD researcher studying tree-soil-microbe interactions in the built environment. My work examines how urban trees and soil management drive drought resilience, contributing to Thirsty Cities Consortium (WP2: Water Users) and to understanding cities as novel ecosystems.

More information about Itxaso Garay Morrissey

Research

The aim of my research over the course of the next four years will be to examine the dynamics of tree-soil-microbe interactions within the context of the built environment to offer solutions for a climate resilient, water scarce future. My aim is to understand how urban tree and soil interactions, shaped by management practices, drive drought resilience above and below ground — providing urban managers and interested parties with evidence-based guidance. Within this context, my thesis builds on the growing scientific literature that recognizes cities as novel ecosystems, and on a larger movement seeking to design a planet- and life-centered living space.

Beyond its application within the consortium, my work on urban trees and soil microbiomes contributes to an expanding area of research elucidating mechanisms underlying plant-microbe-soil interactions, ecosystem functioning, and fungal networks. I pursue this through controlled experiments with trees in climate rooms and in the field, alongside metadata analysis of urban trees and models of drought resilience. The through-line of my thesis is that it treats the urban tree as an organism embedded in a managed, stressed, and recovering soil system. The chapters of my research move from exploration and mechanism, to translation, to resilience and recovery.

Brief biography

I moved to Amsterdam from San Francisco, California, two years ago to study Earth Systems Science at the UvA, and enjoyed it enough to stay on for a PhD. My background is in microbial ecology and soil science, and I'm drawn to dynamic, complex systems like plant-microbe-soil interactions. Outside of research, I rock climb, hike, go to the beach, see concerts, cook with friends, and spend time with my dog, Nemo.