RESEARCHERS
Xia Zhu-Barker PhD
Assistant Professional Researcher
wyjzhu@ucdavis.edu ; zhuxia0207@gmail.com
Dr. Xia Zhu-Barker is a soil scientist who specializes in the processes that regulate nutrient biogeochemical cycles and improving land management practices. Her research addresses issues of agricultural sustainability including climate change mitigation, and focuses on soil, plant, and microbial interactions that ultimately affect livestock and human health. Her work ranges from novel methods in isotopic techniques and molecular biology to assessments of land management using community-based surveys, mechanistic exploration of soil-plant-microbe interactions, and process-based modeling.
Dr. Zhu-Barker's research records include over thirty peer-reviewed high-impact articles, invited book chapters, technical reports, scientific articles, and keynote talks. The ultimate goal of her work is to improve the performance of agroecosystems by integrating biogeochemical, ecological, economic, and social knowledge into the food and energy aspects of management decisions. Dr. Zhu-Barker has received a number of awards, notably the Excellent Young Scientist Award by the Association of Chinese Soil and Plant Scientists in North America, and has also been appointed as an associated editor of the Journal of Environmental Quality in recognition of her research. She has also endeavored to lead the scientific community by organizing and chairing sessions at international conferences. Dr. Zhu-Barker also has high grant activity. As a principle/co-principle investigator, she has secured over $2M extramural grants from different agencies.
The research topics of her projects include:
- Microbial and abiotic processes involved in nitrogen gases (N2O, NOX, and N2) production and consumption
- Land management practices (e.g. organic amendments, fertilizer, cover crops, irrigation, and tillage) that change soil fertility, nitrogen use efficiency, crop productivity, and carbon turnover.
- Process oriented modeling of carbon/nitorgen turnover in agricultural ecosystems.
- Environmental changes on the sustainability and resilience of agricultural ecosystems
My Resume: Zhu-Barker's CV
My Projects: Zhu-Barker's grants
Google Citations: http://scholar.google.com/citations?user=ACABAFAAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=sra
Linkedin page: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/xia-zhu/64/935/25b
