My Universidad Santo Tomás – UST Soil Ecology Laboratory is located at the Centro de Innovación Colaborativa, Ruta T-25 Km 1, Mafil (Los Ríos), Chile. Despite this, my research is broader than soil ecology and extends beyond the frontiers of my University and country. Because of this, the lab comprises researchers and students from different countries and institutions investigating various topics.
Director
Prof. Dr. César Marín, Universidad Santo Tomás, Valdivia, Chile.
E-mail: cmarind@santotomas.cl
Associated Researcher
Prof. Dr. Geomar Vallejos-Torres, Universidad Nacional de San Martín, Tarapoto, Perú – Associated Researcher, Center for Research and Innovation for Climate Change (CiiCC), School of Sciences, Santo Tomas University, Valdivia, Chile
Various topics from inoculating native arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi to several crops, estimating carbon balances, and using mini-tunnels for plant propagation, among others. All in the Peruvian Amazon.
Postdoctoral Researcher
Dr. Mariana Valoy, Instituto de Ecología Regional, Tucumán, Argentina.
Applying multilevel selection theory for quinoa agricultural management.
PhD students
MSc. Yessica L. Perdomo, Universidad del Norte, Barranquilla, Colombia.
Producing native arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi to protect Colombia`s dry forests and corn. Involving farmers in the process.
Gabriel Peredo Albornoz.
Topic to be defined.
Master student
Elizabeth Randolph, Northern Arizona University, United States.
Studying the soil and root microbial biodiversity of Alerce and the environmental policy about its protection.
Bachelor students
Constanza Martínez, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile.
Testing the relationships between Alerce rhizosphere microbiome and its annual growth.
Lya Acevedo, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile.
Testing the relationships between Alerce rhizosphere microbiome and its annual growth.
Jenny Ramírez Farías, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile.
Harnessing sympatric mycorrhizal microbiomes for conservation of Alerce.
Bastián Mikael Matte, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
Implementing a bibliometric analysis of South American mycorrhizal biodiversity and ecosystem functioning.
Lab technician: Erwin Guzmán Riffo, Universidad Santo Tomás, Máfil, Chile.
Visiting students
Ava M. Cooper (2025) – Durham University, United Kingdom.
Lara J. Fox (2025) – Durham University, United Kingdom.
Felix Dittrich (2024) – Universität Trier, Germany.
Alumni – bachelor thesis
Ana Turbay (2024) – Duoc UC, Santiago, Chile.
Yennifer Manqui (2024) – Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile.
Javiera Rubio (2022) – Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile.
Roberto Araneda Vargas (2018) – Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile.
Dr. César Marín 