Our Earth's critical zone is the heterogeneous, near surface environment in which complex interactions involving rock, soil, water, air, and living organisms regulate the natural habitat and determine the availability of life-sustaining resources. A healthy critical zone supports ecosystems that produce the food we eat, natural pollution control, and natural resources upon which our economy depends.
Our faculty are experts in:
- biogeochemistry and pedology
- geomicrobiology
- subsurface hydrology and soil physics
Click on the profiles to learn more about who we are and what we research in critical zone science.
Alicja Babst-Kostecka
Assistant Professor

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Room 312A
Saguaro Hall
1110 E South Campus Drive
My Research Interests
- Plant adaptation to changing environmental conditions
- Metal tolerance and hyperaccumulation
- Plant-soil interactions in metalliferous habitats
- Phytoremediation and restoration of arid lands
Degrees
- Ph.D in Biology (Genetics of Populations & Evolutionary Ecology), Institute of Botany Polish Academy of Sciences
- I focus on geomicrobiology in our work on critical zone science.
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Explore my other areas of research:
- I focus on biogeochemistry and pedology in our work on critical zone science.
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Explore my other areas of research:
- I focus on subsurface hydrology and soil physics in our work on critical zone science.
-
Explore my other areas of research:
- I focus on biogeochemistry and pedology in our work on critical zone science.
-
Explore my other areas of research:
- I focus on subsurface hydrology and soil physics in our work on critical zone science.
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Explore my other areas of research:
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Find out about my work in extension and outreach:

Jon Chorover
Interim Associate Vice President (ALVSCE)
Interim Associate Dean for Research (CALES)
Professor
Arizona Lab for Emerging Contaminants (ALEC)
- I focus on biogeochemistry and pedology in our work on critical zone science.
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Explore my other areas of research:

- I focus on biogeochemistry and pedology in our work on critical zone science.
-
Explore my other areas of research:

- I focus on biogeochemistry and pedology in our work on critical zone science.
-
Explore my other areas of research:
- I focus on geomicrobiology in our work on critical zone science.
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Explore my other areas of research:

Julie Neilson
Full Research Professor
Director, Maier Lab
Director, Center for Environmentally Sustainable Mining
- I focus on geomicrobiology in our work on critical zone science.
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Explore my other areas of research:

- I focus on geomicrobiology in our work on critical zone science.
-
Explore my other areas of research:
- I focus on biogeochemistry and pedology in our work on critical zone science.
-
Explore my other areas of research:
- I focus on subsurface hydrology and soil physics in our work on critical zone science.
-
Explore my other areas of research
- I focus on geomicrobiology in our work on critical zone science.
-
Explore my other areas of research: