Advanced Biogeochemistry of Tropical Ecosystems

Author Biography

Tancredo Souza is a Senior Visiting Professor in the Department of Soils and Rural Engineering at the Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB), Areia, Brazil. His research focuses on soil ecology, soil biogeochemistry, and the effects of land-use change on the diversity, functioning, and ecological interactions of soil organisms in tropical and subtropical ecosystems. His work integrates soil chemical and biological processes to better understand nutrient cycling, soil functioning, ecosystem stability, and the environmental consequences of land-use intensification. His research interests include plant–soil interactions, the ecology and diversity of mycorrhizal fungi, microbial biodiversity, soil food-web processes, carbon and nitrogen cycling, and biogeochemical processes in tropical ecosystems. He has particular expertise in the morphological and molecular characterization of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), as well as in the application of advanced statistical and ecological approaches to investigate relationships among soil properties, microbial communities, vegetation, and ecosystem processes. Professor Souza holds a Bachelor's degree in Agronomy, a Master's degree in Soil and Water Management and Conservation, and a Ph.D. in Soil Sciences, with academic training involving the Federal University of Paraíba, Brazil, and the University of Coimbra, Portugal. His academic activities combine teaching, research, student supervision, and scientific collaboration, with particular emphasis on tropical soils and the connections among soil biogeochemistry, microbiology, ecology, and sustainable ecosystem management.