Colin Averill
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Please visit my google scholar page for the most up to date publication record.
Anthony M.A., Crowther T.W., Maynard D.S. van den Hoogen J. & Averill C. 2020. Distinct assembly processes and microbial communities constrain soil organic carbon formation. One Earth. 2: 349-360.

Waring B.G., Sulman B.N., Reed S., Smith A.P., Averill C., Creamer C.A., Cusack D.F., Hall S.J., Jastrow J.D., Jilling A., Kemner K.M., Kleber M., Liu X.A., Pett-Ridge J. & Schulz M. 2020. From pools to flow: The PROMISE framework for new insights on soil carbon cycling in a changing world. Global Change Biology. (early view).

Hoeksema J.D., Averill C., Bhatnagar J.M., Brzostek E., Buscardo E., Chen K., Liao H., Nagy L., Policelli N., Ridgeway J., Rojas A., Vilgalys R.  2020. Ectomycorrhizal plant-fungal co-invasions as natural experiments for connecting plant and fungal traits to their ecosystem consequences. Frontiers in Forests and Global Change. 3: 84.

Kivlin S.N., Fei S., Kalisz S. & Averill C. 2020. Microbial ecology meets macroecology: developing a process-based understanding of the microbial role in global ecosystems. The Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America. 101: e01645.

Averill C.
, Dietze, M.C., Pearse W.D., Talbot, J.M. & Kivlin S.N. 2019. Global imprint of mycorrhizal fungi on whole-plant nutrient economics. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 116: 23163-23168.

Crowther T.W., van den Hoogen J, Wan J., Mayes M.A., Keiser A.D. Mo L., Averill C. & Maynard D.S. 2019. The global soil community and its influence on biogeochemistry. Science. 365: eaav0550.

Averill C., Cates L. Dietze, M.C. & Talbot, J.M. 2019. Spatial vs. temporal controls over soil fungal community similarity at continental and global scales. ISME Journal. 13: 2082-2093.

Zak D.R., Pellitier P.T., Argiroff W.A., Castillo B., James T.Y., Nave, L.E., Averill, C., Beidler K.V., Bhatnagar J.M., Blesh J., Classen A.T., Craig M., Fernandez C.W., Gundersen P., Johansen R., Koide R.T., Lilleskov E.A., Lindahl B.D., Nadelhoffer K.J., Phillips R.P. & Tunlid A. 2019. Exploring the role of ectomycorrhizal fungi in soil carbon dynamics. New Phytologist. 1: 33-39.


Averill C., Dietze M.C. & Talbot, J.M. 2018. Continental-scale nitrogen pollution is shifting forest mycorrhizal associations and soil carbon stocks. Global Change Biology. doi: 10.111/gcb.14368
*Media coverage from Mongabay.com

Averill C. & Waring, B.G. 2018. Nitrogen limitation of decomposition and decay: how can it occur? Global Change Biology. 24: 1417-1427.

Carrara, J.E., Walter, C.A., Hawkins, J.S., Peterjohn W.R., Averill C. and Brzostek E.R. 2018. Interactions among plants, bacteria and fungi reduce extracellular enzyme activities under long-term N fertilization. Global Change Biology. 24: 2721-2734.


Averill C. and Hawkes, C.V. 2016. Ectomycorrhizas slow soil carbon cycling. Ecology Letters. 19: 937-947.

Averill C. 2016. Slowed decomposition in ectomycorrhizal ecosystems is independent of plant chemistry. Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 102: 52-54.

Averill C., Waring, B.G. and Hawkes, C.V. 2016. Historical precipitation predictably alters the shape and magnitude of microbial functional response to soil moisture. Global Change Biology. 22: 1957-1964.

Averill C., Rousk, J. and Hawkes, C.V. 2015. Microbial-mediated changes in ecosystem nitrogen partitioning can delay progressive nitrogen limitation. Biogeochemistry. 126: 11-23.
*featured in the Biogeochemistry Letters section, "manuscripts that present results that substantially advance the field or challenge entrenched ideas."

Averill C., Turner B.L. and Finzi A.C. 2014. Mycorrhizal mediated competition between plants and decomposers drives soil carbon storage. Nature. 505: 543-545.
*Media coverage from TIME Magazine, ThinkProgress, KUT Austin, Mongabay.com

*Awarded Outstanding Student Research in Ecology Award by the Ecological Society of America Student Section
*Awarded the Elizabeth Sulzman Award from the Biogeosciences section of the Ecological Society of America

Averill C. 2014. Divergence in plant and microbial allocation strategies explains continental patterns in microbial allocation and biogeochemical fluxes. Ecology Letters. 17: 1202- 1210.

Giasson M.A., Averill C. and Finzi A.C. 2014. Correction factors for dissolved organic carbon extracted from soil, measured using the Mn (III)-pyrophosphate colorimetric method adapted for a microplate reader. Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 78: 284-287.

Kivlin S.N., Waring B.G., Averill C. and Hawkes C.V. 2013. Tradeoffs in microbial carbon allocation may mediate soil carbon storage in future climates. Frontiers in Microbiology. 4: 261.

Waring B.G., Averill C. and Hawkes C.V. 2013. Differences in fungal and bacterial physiology alter soil carbon and nitrogen cycling: insights from meta-analysis and theoretical models. Ecology Letters. 16: 887-894.

Averill C. and Finzi A.C. 2011. Increasing plant dependence on organic nitrogen along an elevation gradient is reflected in nitrogen uptake rates and ecosystem δ15N at Mount Eisenhower, NH, USA. Ecology. 92: 883-891.

*Ecosystem Ecology Faculty of 1000 Selection

*Awarded Outstanding Student Research in Ecology Award by the Ecological Society of America Student Section


Averill C. and Finzi A.C. 2011. Plant regulation of microbial enzyme production in situ. Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 32: 2457-2460.
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