Biography

I am a Soil Biologist interested in soil ecology, plant-microbe interactions, microbe-microbe interactions, soil biodiversity, soil nematodes and their environmental importance, soil health, and the role of microbes in sustainable agricultural production and climate change mitigations.

Research Interests

1.     The role of soil micro-organisms and plant microbiomes in plant growth, climate change mitigation and ecosystem functioning
2.     The impact of agricultural management (organic, conservation and conventional agriculture, synthetic chemical fertilisers, pesticides) on soil organisms, soil biodiversity and ecosystem services delivered by soil organisms.
3.     The agronomic, ecological, and environmental performance of the main Irish/European farming systems.
 4.     The role of nematodes as biological indicators of soil health and soil quality
 5.     The use of beneficial endophytes including arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi to promote plant yield by introducing or promoting beneficial microbes in the field.
 6.     Soil microbiome management to improve the sustainability and productivity of agroecosystems. 7.     Reduction of nutrient losses to the environment including the use of recycling-derived fertilizers and manure management for developing environmentally sustainable & climate-resilient agricultural systems.

Peer Reviewed Journals

  Year Publication
(2024) 'Manipulation of sward diversity is a more effective management strategy than addition of microbial inoculants in intensively managed grassland'
Ikoyi, I; Duff, AM; Finn, JA; Wall, DP; Kostic, T; Lucic-Mercy, E; Sessitsch, A; Brennan, F (2024) 'Manipulation of sward diversity is a more effective management strategy than addition of microbial inoculants in intensively managed grassland'. Plant and Soil, [ Publisher's Version] [DOI] [Full Text] [Details]
(2024) 'Poultry litter biochar soil amendment affects microbial community structures, promotes phosphorus cycling and growth of barley (Hordeum vulgare)'
Deinert, L; Hossen, S; Ikoyi, I; Kwapinksi, W; Noll, M; Schmalenberger, A (2024) 'Poultry litter biochar soil amendment affects microbial community structures, promotes phosphorus cycling and growth of barley (Hordeum vulgare)'. European Journal Of Soil Biology, 120 [DOI] [Details]
(2023) 'Plant diversity enhanced nematode-based soil quality indices and changed soil nematode community structure in intensively-managed agricultural grasslands'
Ikoyi I.;Grange G.;Finn J.A.;Brennan F.P. (2023) 'Plant diversity enhanced nematode-based soil quality indices and changed soil nematode community structure in intensively-managed agricultural grasslands'. European Journal Of Soil Biology, 118 [DOI] [Details]
(2023) 'Short-Term Impact of Recycling-Derived Fertilizers on Their P Supply for Perennial Ryegrass (Lolium perenne)'
Deinert L;Ikoyi I;Egeter B;Forrestal P;Schmalenberger A; (2023) 'Short-Term Impact of Recycling-Derived Fertilizers on Their P Supply for Perennial Ryegrass (Lolium perenne)'. Plants (Basel, Switzerland), 12 (15) [DOI] [Details]
(2022) 'Assessing the long-term impact of urease and nitrification inhibitor use on microbial community composition, diversity and function in grassland soil'
Duff A.M.;Forrestal P.;Ikoyi I.;Brennan F. (2022) 'Assessing the long-term impact of urease and nitrification inhibitor use on microbial community composition, diversity and function in grassland soil'. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 170 [DOI] [Details]
(2021) 'Geostatistical modelling and mapping of nematode-based soil ecological quality indices in a polluted nature reserve'
IKOYI I.O.;HEUVELINK G.B.M.;DE GOEDE R.G.M. (2021) 'Geostatistical modelling and mapping of nematode-based soil ecological quality indices in a polluted nature reserve'. Pedosphere, 31 (5):670-682 [DOI] [Details]
(2021) 'Design and Construction of Repacked Soil Columns for Measuring Solute Transport, Plant Growth and Soil Biota'
Ikoyi I;Schmalenberger A; (2021) 'Design and Construction of Repacked Soil Columns for Measuring Solute Transport, Plant Growth and Soil Biota'. Bio-Protocol, 11 (2) [DOI] [Details]
(2021) 'Drainage class and soil phosphorus availability shape microbial communities in Irish grasslands'
Graça J.;Daly K.;Bondi G.;Ikoyi I.;Crispie F.;Cabrera-Rubio R.;Cotter P.D.;Schmalenberger A. (2021) 'Drainage class and soil phosphorus availability shape microbial communities in Irish grasslands'. European Journal Of Soil Biology, 104 [DOI] [Details]
(2020) 'Responses of soil microbiota and nematodes to application of organic and inorganic fertilizers in grassland columns'
Ikoyi I.;Egeter B.;Chaves C.;Ahmed M.;Fowler A.;Schmalenberger A. (2020) 'Responses of soil microbiota and nematodes to application of organic and inorganic fertilizers in grassland columns'. Biology and Fertility of Soils, 56 (5):647-662 [DOI] [Details]
(2020) 'Sulfate fertilization supports growth of ryegrass in soil columns but changes microbial community structures and reduces abundances of nematodes and arbuscular mycorrhiza'
Ikoyi I;Fowler A;Storey S;Doyle E;Schmalenberger A; (2020) 'Sulfate fertilization supports growth of ryegrass in soil columns but changes microbial community structures and reduces abundances of nematodes and arbuscular mycorrhiza'. Science of The Total Environment, 704 [DOI] [Details]
(2018) 'One-time phosphate fertilizer application to grassland columns modifies the soil microbiota and limits its role in ecosystem services'
Ikoyi I;Fowler A;Schmalenberger A; (2018) 'One-time phosphate fertilizer application to grassland columns modifies the soil microbiota and limits its role in ecosystem services'. Science of The Total Environment, 630 [DOI] [Details]
(2018) 'The influence of aggregate size fraction and horizon position on microbial community composition'
Fox A.;Ikoyi I.;Torres-Sallan G.;Lanigan G.;Schmalenberger A.;Wakelin S.;Creamer R. (2018) 'The influence of aggregate size fraction and horizon position on microbial community composition'. Applied Soil Ecology, 127 :19-29 [DOI] [Details]
(2017) 'Microbial community structure and function respond more strongly to temporal progression than to the application of slurry in an Irish grassland'
Fox A.;Ikoyi I.;Creamer R.;Lanigan G.;Schmalenberger A. (2017) 'Microbial community structure and function respond more strongly to temporal progression than to the application of slurry in an Irish grassland'. Applied Soil Ecology, 120 :97-104 [DOI] [Details]
(2016) 'Chemically and biologically-mediated fertilizing value of manure-derived biochar'
Subedi R;Taupe N;Ikoyi I;Bertora C;Zavattaro L;Schmalenberger A;Leahy JJ;Grignani C; (2016) 'Chemically and biologically-mediated fertilizing value of manure-derived biochar'. Science of The Total Environment, 550 [DOI] [Details]
(2016) 'Miscanthus biochar promotes growth of spring barley and shifts bacterial community structures including phosphorus and sulfur mobilizing bacteria'
Fox A.;Gahan J.;Ikoyi I.;Kwapinski W.;O'Sullivan O.;Cotter P.D.;Schmalenberger A. (2016) 'Miscanthus biochar promotes growth of spring barley and shifts bacterial community structures including phosphorus and sulfur mobilizing bacteria'. Pedobiologia, 59 (4):195-202 [DOI] [Details]

Honours and Awards

  Year Title Awarding Body
2019 Federation of European Microbiological Societies Travel Grant Federation of European Microbiological Societies
2019 New Phytologist Next Generation Scientists Conference Award New Phytologist Foundation
2017 Alltech Young Scientist Second Place Winner: Europe, Africa and Russia Category Alltech
2016 Best Poster Award, Society for Applied Microbiology Annual Conference Society for Applied Microbiology
2016 Best Soil Science Oral Presentation at Environ Environmental Science Association, Ireland
2011 Erasmus Mundus Masters Scholarship European Commission
2004 KPMG Honours Award for Academic Excellence KPMG

Professional Associations

  Association Function From / To
Microbiology Society Member 04-JUL-16 /
European Society of Nematologists Member 08-AUG-12 /
Global Soil Biodiversity Initiative Member 16-JUN-15 /
Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition Member 07-SEP-18 /
Environmental Science Association of Ireland Member 21-APR-16 /

Employment

  Employer Position From / To
University College Cork Lecturer in Environmental Science 01-OCT-23 /
University College Dublin Research Fellow 01-JUN-22 / 30-SEP-23
Teagasc Postdoctoral Researcher 07-SEP-20 / 03-JUN-22
University of Limerick Postdoctoral Researcher 01-OCT-18 / 15-SEP-20

Education

  Year Institution Qualification Subject
2018 University of Limerick PhD Soil and Environmental Microbiology
2013 Ghent University, Belgium MSc Nematology (Soil Biology)
2008 Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria Bachelor of Agriclture Soil Science

Languages

  Language Reading Writing Speaking
French Basic Basic Basic
Spanish Basic Basic Basic
English Fluent Fluent Fluent

Journal Activities

  Journal Role To / From
European Journal Of Soil Biology Peer Reviewer -
Nature Communications Peer Reviewer 27-MAR-24 -
Plants (Basel, Switzerland) Peer Reviewer -
Pedosphere Peer Reviewer -
Microorganisms Peer Reviewer -
Geoderma Peer Reviewer -
Journal Of Soil Science And Plant Nutrition Peer Reviewer -
Journal Of Fungi Peer Reviewer -
Plant And Soil Peer Reviewer -