Prof. Dr. Marcel van der Heijden

Full Professor

Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies
University of Zurich
Winterthurerstrasse 190
8057 Zurich

Office: Y-13 G-36
Phone: +41 (0) 76 458 8132 

Email

Our research focuses on understanding how soil microorganisms, plant microbiomes, mycorrhizal fungi, and soil biodiversity influence plant growth, ecosystem functioning, and the sustainability of agricultural systems. Our research is at the interface of agroecology and plant-microbe interactions. The overarching aim is to develop productive and environmentally sustainable agro-ecosystems through ecological approaches and microbiome management.

Key research questions include:

1.    What is the role of soil micro-organisms and plant microbiomes in determining plant growth and ecosystem functioning?
2.    What is the ecological significance of mycorrhizal fungi and mycorrhizal diversity, and is it possible to promote plant yield by introducing or promoting beneficial mycorrhizal fungi in the field?
3.    How do microbiomes function,  and is there a link between microbiome richness and composition with plant growth and ecosystem multifunctionality?
4.    What is the impact of pesticides on soil biodiversity and soil functioning, what are the ecological risks of pesticides, and how widely are pesticides distributed in Switzerland, Europe and worldwide?
5.    Is it possible to use soil ecological engineering and microbiome management to improve the sustainability and productivity of agro-ecosystems?
6.    What is the impact of agricultural management (organic, conservation and conventional agriculture, pesticides) on soil life, soil biodiversity and ecosystem services delivered by soil biota?
7.    What is the agronomic, ecological and environmental performance of the main Swiss/European farming systems?

Education and professional positions

• 2018-2025: highly cited researcher (categories: Ecology/Environment and Microbiology).
• 2020-2024: President of International Mycorrhiza Society (IMS) (2020-2024) (since 2015, member of the board of directors of IMS).
• 2022: PIFI Distinguished Scientist Award, Chinese Academy of Science.
• 2019: British Soil Science Society Award. Russell Lecture.

• Banerjee, S., Dasgupta, D., van der Heijden, M.G.A., (2026) Agricultural Intensification, Microbial Homogenization, and the Disappearing Rare Microbiota. Nature Reviews Microbiology. DOI: 10.1038/s41579-026-01315-w
• Köninger, J., Labouyrie, M., Ballabio, C., Dulya, O., Mikryukov, V., Romero, F., Franco, A., Bahram, M., Panagos, P., Jones, A., Tedersoo, L.,Orgiazzi, A., Briones, M.J.I., van der Heijden, M.G.A. (2026) Pesticide residues in soils affect soil taxonomic and functional biodiversity. Nature 650: 367–373 . DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-09991-z
• Martin, F. M., & van Der Heijden, M.G.A. (2024). The mycorrhizal symbiosis: research frontiers in genomics, ecology, and agricultural application. New Phytologist, 242(4), 1486-1506. DOI: 10.1111/nph.19541
• Romero, F., Labouyrie, M., Orgiazzi, A., Ballabio, C., Panagos, P., Jones, A., ... & van der Heijden, M.G.A. (2024). Soil health is associated with higher primary productivity across Europe. Nature Ecology & Evolution, 1-9. DOI: 10.1038/s41559-024-02511-8
• Lutz, S., Bodenhausen, N., Hess J., Valzano-Held, A., Waelchli J., Deslandes-Hérold, G., Schlaeppi, K., van der Heijden, M.G.A. (2023) Soil microbiome indicators can predict crop growth response to large-scale inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Nature Microbiology 8: 2277–2289. DOI: 10.1038/s41564-023-01520-w
• Anthony, M., Bender. F., van der Heijden, M.G.A. (2023) Enumerating soil biodiversity. Proceeding of the National Academy of Sciences 120 (33) e2304663120. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2304663120
• Banerjee, S., van der Heijden, M.G.A. (2023) Soil microbiomes and one health. Nature Reviews Microbiology, 21, 6–20. DOI: 10.1038/s41579-022-00779-w
• Edlinger, A., Garland, G., Banerjee, S., Degrune, F., García-Palacios P., Hallin, S., Herzog, C., Jansa, J., Kost, E., Maestre, F., Sánchez Pescador D., Philippot, L., Rillig, M., Romdhane, S., Saghaï, A., Spor, A., Frossard, E., van der Heijden, M.G.A. (2022) Agricultural management and pesticide use reduce the phosphorus uptake capability of beneficial plant symbionts. Nature Ecology & Evolution 6 (8), 1145-1154. DOI: 10.1038/s41559-022-01799-8
• Wittwer, R. A., Bender, S. F., Hartman, K., Hydbom, S., Lima, R. A., Loaiza, V., Nemecek, T., Oehl, F., Olsson, P.A., Petchey, O. and Prechsl, U.E., Schläppi, K., Scholten, T., Seitz, S., Six, J., & van der Heijden, M.G.A. (2021). Organic and conservation agriculture promote ecosystem multifunctionality. Science Advances, 7(34), eabg6995. DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abg6995
• Wagg, C., Schlaeppi, K., Banerjee, S., Kuramae, E. E., & van der Heijden, M.G.A. (2019). Fungal-bacterial diversity and microbiome complexity predict ecosystem functioning. Nature communications, 10(1), 4841. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-12798-y
• Banerjee, S., Walder, F., Büchi, L., Meyer, M., Held, A. Y., Gattinger, A., ... & van der Heijden, M.G.A. (2019). Agricultural intensification reduces microbial network complexity and the abundance of keystone taxa in roots. The ISME journal, 13(7), 1722-1736.DOI: 10.1038/s41396-019-0383-2
• Banerjee, S., Schlaeppi, K., van der Heijden, M.G.A., (2018) Keystone taxa in microbiology: roles, drivers and importance for microbiome functioning. Nature Reviews Microbiology 16: 567-576.DOI: 10.1038/s41579-018-0024-1                                                                                                                           
•  Wagg C., Bender S.F., Widmer F., van der Heijden, M.G.A. (2014) Soil biodiversity and soil community composition determine ecosystem multifunctionality. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 111 (14): 5266–5270. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1320054111

• van der Heijden M.G.A., Bardgett R.D. & van Straalen N.M. (2008) The unseen majority: soil microbes as drivers of plant diversity and productivity in terrestrial ecosystems. Ecology Letters 11: 296-310. DOI: 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2007.01139.x

• van der Heijden M.G.A., Klironomos J.N., Ursic M., Moutoglis P., Streitwolf-Engel R., Boller T., Wiemken A. & Sanders I.R. (1998) Mycorrhizal fungal diversity determines plant biodiversity, ecosystem variability and productivity. Nature 396: 72-75.  DOI: 10.1038/23932                                                                         

   

Group Website:  Van der Heijden Lab

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