07.01.2026
Successful PhD Defense of Nicolás Riveras Muñoz
On December 4th, Nicolás Riveras Muñoz successfully defended his PhD, exploring how biological soil crusts (biocrusts) and climate interact to shape soil stabilization, erosion, and carbon and nitrogen dynamics across a ~1,500 km climate gradient in Chile’s Coastal Range. Through innovative field experiments, his research revealed that biocrusts strongly influence most of these processes, while their effects vary markedly among sites. These differences are driven by local mechanisms, from the extreme drought of the Atacama Desert to the high organic matter of the cold, humid Nahuelbuta forests. His thesis, “Biological soil crust and climate effects on soil stabilization, erosion, and nutrient dynamics across the Chilean Coastal Range,” was developed within the DFG-SPP 1803 EarthShape project. EarthShape brings together soil scientists, geologists, ecologists, microbiologists, and modelers to understand how life shapes landscapes along Chile’s remarkable climate gradient.
Warmest congratulations!
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