My research projects focus on improving the understanding of soil-climate interaction and microbial feedbacks:

Research themes
(1) Thermal variation on soil decomposition听
(2) Microbial processes underlying soil decomposition听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听
(3) Data synthesis and model
(4) Climate adaptation and mitigation

Selected publications (of 50 in total)听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 ()

2025
Zhou J, Yang Z, Liu J, Zhang Q, Liu X, Chen S, Xiong D, Xu C, Zheng Y, Zheng W, Yuan X, Huang S, Ren Z, Li J, Sardans J, Penuelas J, and Yang Y. 2025. Depth-dependent responses of soil organic carbon fractions to three-year warming in听subtropical forests. Gerderma 464: 117631
Kasrija L, D Hui*. A Ray, W Ren, L Wang, P Fay, D Smith, J Li, P Illukpitiya, and H Tian. 2025. Mega-Analysis of No-Tillage and Reduced Tillage Impacts on Crop听Yields and Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Field Crops Research 334: 110167.听
M Manu, L Gamage, A Pandey, and J Li*. 2025. Determination of carbon and microbial biomass amounts in neglected urban pavement crevice soils.听 Science of the Total Environment. 1006: 180921.
A Pandey, L Gamage, M Manu, X Wang, 听J Alford, S Zhou, J deKoff, D Hui, and J Li*. 2025. Interactive effects of warming and nitrogen fertilization on soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, soil respiration, and microbial activities.听 Global Change Biology Bioenergy. In Press.听
J Li*, L Gamage, S Jian, X Wang, J Alford, M Manu, A Pandey, J de Koff, D Hui, and P Fay. 2025.听Experimental warming effects on soil respiration, microbial abundance, and extracellular enzyme activities in a switchgrass cropland in Middle Tennessee. Global Change Biology Bioenergy. 17:e70066. (Pubdate: 08-2025) download PDF] .
M Manu, J Li*. 2025. Urban pavement crevices as microhabitats: soil properties and spontaneous vegetation in roadside environments.听 International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology32:687-699..听 (Pubdate: 07-2025) ] .
J Li*, X Wang, S Jian, L Gamage, D Hui, PA Fay. 2025.听Effects of nitrogen fertilization and bioenergy crop type on spatial distributions of extracellular hydrolases associated with nitrogen and phosphorus acquisition. Scientific Reports 15 (1), 256912025.听(Pubdate: 07-2025) [ ] .
H Wang, L Gamage, J Li*, and H Wei*.听 2025. Field-deployable Measurement of Soil Extracellular Enzyme Activity Using Surface-enhanced Raman Spectroscopy. Environmental Science: Nano.听 Accepted.听
2024
Jian S, Li J*, Wang G, Zhou J, Schadt C, and Mayes M. 2024. Generalizing Microbial Parameters in Soil Biogeochemical Models: Insights from a Multi-Site Incubation Experiment. Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences. 129(4). (Pubdate: 04-2024)听 [ ] .
Kieffer C, Kaur N, Li J, Matamala R, Fay P, and Hui D. Photosynthetic responses of switchgrass to light and CO2 under different precipitation treatments.听 GCB Bioenergy 16: e13138 (Pubdate: 05-2024)听 download PDF] .
Wei D, Parajuli M, Jian S, Hui D, Fay P, and Li J*. 2024. Effects of precipitation changes on soil heterotrophic respiration and microbial activities in a switchgrass mesocosm experiment. European Journal of Soil Biology 120:103602. (Pubdate: 02-2024) ] .
2023
Kieffer C, Hui D, Matamala R, Li J, Tyler D, and Dzantor K. (2023). Evaluation of eastern gamagrass as dual-purpose complementary bioenergy and forage feedstock to switchgrass. GCB Bioenergy 15, 776鈥 790.. . (Pubdate: 04-2023) .
2022
Wang XH, S Jian, L Gamage, and J Li*. (2022). Effect of nitrogen fertilization on central tendency and spatial heterogeneity of soil moisture, pH, dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen in two bioenergy croplands. Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science 185:355-369. 听 (Pubdate: 03-2022) .
2021
Jia S, X Liu, W Lin, Y Zheng, J Li, D Hui and J Guo. (2021). Decreased glomalin-related soil protein with nitrogen deposition in a 3-year-old Cunninghamia lanceolata plantation. Journal of Soils and Sediments 22(3): 931-941. (Pubdate: 11-2021) .
W Dong, A Song, H Yin, X Liu, J Li, F Fan. 2021. Decomposition of microbial necromass is divergent at the individual taxonomic level in soil. Front. Microbiol. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.679793. (Pubdate: 07-2021) .
C GUO, X Fang, S Wang, J Li & F Chen*. 2021. Navel Orange Fine Root Nutrient Content and Rhizosphere Effects Varied with Tree Ages and Soil Depths in a Hilly Red Soil Region of China, Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica , Section B 鈥 Soil & Plant Science, DOI: 10.1080/09064710.2021.1940269. (Pubdate: 07-2021) [] .
Duan J, M Yuan, S Jian, L Gamage, M Parajuli, E Dzantor, D Hui, P Fay, and J Li*. Soil extracellular oxidases mediated nitrogen fertilization effects on soil organic carbon sequestration in bioenergy croplands. Global Change Biology Bioenergy. Accepted. (Pubdate: ??-2021) [download PDF] .
2020
Jian S, J Li*, G Wang*, L Kluber, C Schadt, J Liang, and M Mayes. Multi-year incubation experiments boost confidence in model projections of long-term soil carbon dynamics. Nature Communications. 11(1): 5864. (Pubdate: 11-2020) [] .
Yuan M, J Duan, J Li *, Jian SY, Gamage L, ED Dzantor, D Hui and Fay P. 2020. Effects of Nitrogen Fertilization and Bioenergy Crop Species on Central Tendency and Spatial Heterogeneity of Soil Glycosidase Activities. Scientific Reports 听10(1): 19681. (Pubdate: 11-2020) .
Li, J, S Jian, C Lane, Y Lu, X He, G Wang, M Mayes, K Dzantor, and D Hui. Effects of nitrogen fertilization and bioenergy crop type on topsoil organic carbon and total nitrogen contents in Middle Tennessee USA. PLOS ONE 15:e0230688
Li, J, S Jian, C Lane, C Guo, Y Lu, Q Deng, M Mayes, K Dzantor, D Hui. Nitrogen fertilization restructured spatial patterns of soil organic carbon and total nitrogen in switchgrass and gamagrass croplands in Tennessee USA. Scientific Reports 8: 1211 .听 [download PDF] .
2019
Chen, S., Y. Lu, P. Dash, P. Das, J. Li, K. Capps, H. Majidzadeh, and M. Elliott. 2019. Hurricane pulses: Small watershed exports of dissolved nutrients and organic matter during large storms in the Southeastern USA. Science of the Total Environment 689:232-244.
Yu CL, Q Deng, S Jian, J Li, DE. Dzantor,听Hui D. Effects of fly ash application on plant biomass and element accumulations in a meta-analysis. Environmental Pollution 250:137-142.
Liang F, J Li*, S Zhang, H Gao, B Wang, X Shi, S Huang, MG Xu. Two-decade long fertilization induced changes in subsurface soil organic carbon stock vary with indigenous site characteristics. Geoderma 337:853-862. [download PDF] .
2018
Li, J, GS Wang, M Mayes, SD Allison, S Frey, S Zheng, XM Hu, YQ Luo, J Melillo. Reduced carbon use efficiency and increased microbial turnover with soil warming. Global Change Biology. In Press. DOI 10.1111/gcb.14517. [download PDF] .
Li, J
. Sampling Soils in a Heterogeneous Research Plot. J. Vis. Exp. (Pending Publication), e58519, In-press (2018). (Pubdate: 09-2018) [download PDF] .
Si HW, XY Wang, L Zhang, L Parnell, B Admed, T LeBoith, T Ansah, L Zhang, J Li, J Ordovas, H Si, D Liu and C Lai. Dietary epicatechin improves survival and delays skeletal muscle degeneration in aged mice. Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB). The FASEB Journal 0:fj.201800554RR. (Pubdate: 08-2018) .
Chen J, YQ Luo, P Palacios, J Cao*, M Dacal, X Zhou, J Li*, J Xia, S Niu, H Yang, S Shelton, W Guo, KJV Groenigen. Differential responses of cellulase and ligninase activities to warming: implications for soil respiration. Global Change Biology 24: 4816鈥4826. . (Pubdate: 07-2018) (*Corresponding author).
Li J, S Jian, J de Koff, C Lane, G Wang, M Mayes, D Hui. 2018. Differential effects of nitrogen fertilization and warming on soil respiration and microbial dynamics in switchgrass croplands. Global Change Biology Bioenergy 10:565-576. (Pubdate: 04-2018)
Dong W, A Song, X Liu, B Yu, B Wang, Y Lu, Y Li, H Yin, J Li*. F Fan*.听2018. Warming differentially altered multidimensional soil legacy induced by past land use history. Scientific Reports 听 8: 1546.听(Pubdate: 01-2018) (*Corresponding author).
2017
Li J, CL Guo, SY Jian, C Yu, Q Deng, ED Dzantor and D Hui. 2018. Nitrogen fertilization elevated spatial heterogeneity of soil microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen in Switchgrass and Gammagrass croplands. Scientific Reports 8:1734.听(Pubdate: 12-2017). .
Smith G, A Reginald, D Nandwani, J Li. 2017. Impacts on urbanization: diversity and the symbiotic relationships of rural, urban, and spaces in-between. International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology (TSDW): 1-14. 听(Pubdate: 10-2017) .
2016
Jian S, J Li*, J Chen, G Wang, M Mayes, EK Dzantor, D Hui, and Y Luo. 2016. Soil extracellular enzyme activities, soil carbon and nitrogen storage under nitrogen fertilization: a meta-analysis. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 101: 32-43.听听(Pubdate: 10-2016) . (IF: 4.152, *Corresponding author)
Chen J, YQ Luo, J Li*, XH Zhou, J Cao*, R Wang*, Y Wang, S, Shelton, Z Jin, L Walker, Z Feng, S Niu, W Feng, S Jian and L Zhou. 2016. Co-stimulation of soil glycosidase activities and soil respiration by nitrogen addition. Global Change Biology 23: 1328-1337. doi: 10.1111/gcb.13402. 听(Pubdate: 07-2016) . (IF:8.444, * Corresponding author)
2015

Xie HT, J Li*, B Zhang, L Wang, J Wang, H He, X Zhang. 2015. Long-term manure amendments reduced soil aggregate stability via redistribution of the glomalin-related soil protein in macroaggregates. Scientific Reports, 5: 14687. 听(Pubdate: 10-2015) . (IF: 5.578, * Corresponding author)
Xia J, S Niu, P Ciais, IA Janssens, J Chen, C Ammann, A Arain, C Ammann, A Arain, PD Blanken, A Cescatti, D Bonal, N Buchmann, PS Curtis, S Chen, J Dong, LB Flanagan, C Frankenberg, T Georgiadis, CM Gough, D Hui, G Kiely, J Li and 20 others. 2014. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 112 (9), 2788-2793.听听(Pubdate: 03-2015) (IF: 9.674)
Richter, DD, AR Bacon, SA Billings, D Binkley, MBuford, MA Callaham, AE Curry, RL Fimmen, AS Grandy, PR Heine, M Hofmockel, JA Jackson, E Lemaster, J Li, D Markewitz, ML Mobley, MW Morrison, M Strickland, T Waldrop, and CG Wells. 2015. Evolution of Soil, Ecosystem, and Critical听Zone Research at the USDA FS Calhoun听Experimental Forest. In听D. C. Hayes et al. (eds.), USDA Forest Service听Experimental Forests and Ranges, DOI 10.1007/978-1-4614-1818-4_18, Springer-Verlag. New York. (Pubdate: xx-2015)
2014
Xie HT, J Li*, P Zhu, P Chang, JK Wang, HB He, XD Zhang.听 2014. Long-term manure amendments enhance neutral sugar accumulation in bulk soil and听particulate organic matter in a Mollisol. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 78:45鈥53.听听(Pubdate: 11-2014) . (IF: 3.654, * Corresponding author)
Li J, YQ Luo, S Natali, EA Schuur, J Xia, Eva Kowalczyk, YP Wang. 2014. Modeling ecosystem carbon cycle and permafrost thaw under annual and seasonal warming at a tundra site in Alaska. Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences 119(6): 2013JG002569. 听(Pubdate: 06-2014). (IF: 3.021)
Niu SL, YQ Luo, MC Dietze, TF Keenan, Z Shi, J Li, F S Chapin. 2014. The role of data assimilation in predictive ecology. Ecosphere. Ecosphere 5(5): art65. 听(Pubdate: 05-2014)
Zhang XB, LH Wu, N Sun, XS Ding, J Li, BR Wang DC Li.听 2014. Soil CO2 and N2O emissions in Maize growing season under different fertilizer regimes in an upland red soil region of South China. Journal of Integrative Agriculture 13(3):604-614.听听(Pubdate: 03-2014)
Li J, GS Wang, SD Allison, MA Mayes, YQ Luo. 2014. Soil carbon sensitivity to temperature and carbon use efficiency compared across microbial-ecosystem models of varying complexity. Biogeochemistry 119:67-84.听听(Pubdate: 01-2014) (IF: 3.531)
Niu SL, YQ Luo, DJ Li, SH Cao, JY Xia, J Li, M Smith. 2014. Plant growth听and mortality听under climatic extremes:听an overview.听 Environmental and Experimental Botany 98(0): 13-19.听(Pubdate: 02-2014) 听
2013
Meng HQ, MG Xu, JL LV, XH He, J Li, XJ Shi, C Peng, BR Wang, HM Zhang. 2013. Soil pH dynamics and nitrogen transformations under long-term chemical fertilization in four typical Chinese croplands. Journal of Integrative Agriculture. 12(11):2092鈥2102.听(Pubdate: 11-2013)
Li J, SE. Ziegler, CS. Lane, SA Billings.听 2013. Legacies of native climate regime govern the responses of boreal soil microbes to litter stoichiometry and temperature. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 66(0): 204-213.听(Pubdate: 11-2013) (IF: 3.654)
Li DJ, C Sch盲del, ML Haddix, EA. Paul, R Conant, J Li, JZ Zhou, YQ Luo, 2013. Differential responses of soil organic carbon fractions to warming: results from an analysis with data assimilation, Soil Biology and Biochemistry, doi:10.1016/j.soilbio.2013.07.008.听(Pubdate: 12-2013)
Ziegler, S. E., S. A. Billings, CS. Lane, J Li, ML. Fogel. (2013). Warming alters听 routing of labile and slower-turnover carbon through distinct microbial groups in boreal forest organic soils. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 60(0): 23-32. (Pubdate: 05-2013)
2012
Li J, SE. Ziegler, CS. Lane, SA Billings.听 2012. Warming-enhanced preferential microbial mineralization of humified boreal soil organic matter: interpretation of soil profiles along a climate transect using laboratory incubation. Journal of Geophysical Research (2012), Volume: 117, Pages: G02008, doi:10.1029/2011JG001769 (Pubdate: 04-2012) (IF: 3.021)
Li J, DD. Richter. 2012. Effects of two-century land use changes on soil iron crystallinity and accumulation in Southeastern Piedmont region, USA, Geoderma 173-174 (2012): 184-191. (Pubdate: 03-2012) (IF: 2.345)
2011
2010
Li J, DD Richter, A Mendoza, PR Heine. 2010. Effects of land-use history on soil spatial heterogeneity of macro- and trace elements in the Southern Piedmont USA, Geoderma 156 (2010): 60-73. (Pubdate: 04-2010) (IF: 2.345)
2009
Li J. 2009. Suggestions to optimize the agricultural nutrient management in China. 2009. SINO-ECO Newsletter 22 (2) 8. (Pubdate: 10-2010)
Zhang ZM, X Yu, S Qian, J Li. (2009). Spatial variability of soil nitrogen and phosphorus of a mixed forest ecosystem in Beijing, China.听 Environmental Earth Sciences 60(8): 1783-1792. (Pubdate: 10-2009) 听
2008
Li, J, DD Richter, A Mendoza, PR Heine. 2008. Four-decade responses of soil trace elements to an aggrading old-field forest: B, Mn, Zn, Cu and Fe. Ecology 89(10): 2911鈥2923. (Pubdate: 10-2008) 听 (IF: 5.175)
2007
2006
Richter DD, HL Allen, J Li, D Markewitz, and J Raikes. 2006. Bioavailability of slowlycycling soil phosphorus: major restructuring of soil P fractions over four decades in an aggrading forest. Oecologia, 150(2), 259-271. (Pubdate: 08-2006)


Refereed journal articles: 35
Book chapters/Bulletins: 1
Non peer reviewed publication: 2
Conference presentations: 35