Elizabeth Borer

Background & Expertise

As a Regents Professor and Distinguished McKnight University Professor, Elizabeth Borer’s research quantifies how global changes, including land clearing, atmospheric pollution, and species invasions and extinctions change the species composition and functioning of the world's ecosystems. Most of her work is in grasslands where she studies the effects of a changing global environment on plant and animal biodiversity, disease transmission and the identity and function of microbes inhabiting individuals (the “microbiome”). She sometimes strays into other ecosystems via collaborations and meta-analysis. Borer is co-founder and co-lead of the Nutrient Network (“NutNet”) and DRAGNet, two global scientific cooperatives studying the effects of environmental change on critical processes and functions in the world’s grasslands. The Nutrient Network, begun in 2007, now includes over 300 scientists performing identically replicated experiments and observations at nearly 180 sites in 29 countries spanning six continents. DRAGNet, extends this scientific cooperation to 36 countries, adding studies of disturbance and cessation at 60 additional sites. The spatial and temporal reach of this work is empowering and including scientists from around the world while also generating new insights into many questions critical for ecology, global change biology, biodiversity conservation and invasion science and sustainability.