Our Science 
With an emphasis on enhancing equity and inclusion in science, we study the biodiversity and ecology of soils microbes with an aim to improve conservation efforts and sustain ecosystem resilience in the face of wildfires, droughts, species invasions and climate change. Plant-microbe interactions and feedbacks are important but cryptic components of how ecosystems function and respond to change. Microbes play a significant role structuring plant communities through positive and negative interactions, and the diversity of soil microbiota controls the processes governing biogeochemical cycling in soils. As we consider the threat of species loss and how plant communities will continue to shift under rapidly altered temperature and precipitation regimes, understanding these feedbacks emerges as a critical focus for plant community ecology, ecosystem science, and conservation ecology. 

Working across a range of ecosystems from lowland Neotropical and high elevation conifer forests to semi-arid grasslands and tropical paramo, our research group uses a combination of field-based ecological experiments, microbiological techniques, and contemporary  genetic and metagenomic tools to develop hypotheses to test the effects of plant-microbe interactions on plant community richness and species abundance, understand how environmental shifts will alter these interactions, and accurately predict the subsequent impacts on ecosystem function.

Our lab culture 
Diverse perspectives, cultures, and past experiences make science and our scientific community stronger. We recognize and acknowledge those who have been and continue to be underrepresented in science. We welcome and support students and researchers regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability status, other aspects of identity, and their intersections. We continue to work to overcome our own biases and to combat discrimination in ecology and academia through education, training, and critical review of our behaviors and institutional policies.

Rachel Gallery is a Professor in the School of Natural Resources and the Environment (SNRE) at the University of Arizona located in the diverse and beautiful Sonoran desert. We welcome contact from prospective collaborators, lab members, and others. 
Harrison Friedman defended his M.S. thesis "Sonoran desert soil microbial community response to changes in precipitation regime." Congratulations Harrison!
​Fall 2023
Savannah Fuqua was awarded an NSF GRF to support their PhD research on plant-mycorrhizae interactions and beachgrass invasions. Congratulations Savannah!
Spring 2023
Dawson Fairbanks wins first place at SWESx poster contest for Earthweek! Congratulations Dawson!
Spring 2019
Noelle Espinosa is awarded the Marshall Foundation Dissertation Fellowship. Congratulations Noelle!
Spring 2019

The Gallery Lab showcases Arizona soils at the SNRExpo for Earthweek
Spring 2019
Last Friday, Martha Gebhardt presented her Ph.D work at the annual William G. McGinnies talk. Her work includes linking imaging spectroscopy to microbial biogeochemistry. More information about the William G. McGinnies award and Martha's work can be found here
Fall 2018
Dawson Fairbanks passed her qualifying exams this fall and will continue her exciting work with the Critical Zone Observatory. Congratulations Dawson!
Fall 2018
Martha Gebhardt will be presenting her dissertation work as the  McGinnies Scholarship recipient on November 16th. Her work is titled, "Shrub encroachment alters ecosystem processes: linking imaging spectroscopy and microbial biogeochemistry." More information is available here. 
Fall 2018
Martha Gebhardt and Chance Muscarella presented their work at RISE this past weekend. Also presented were some of the strong relationships we are seeing between foliar nitrogen and below ground processes. 
Fall 2018
Noelle Espinosa, Martha Gebhardt and Dawson Fairbanks presented their research at the American Geophysical Union Fall 2016 meeting and co-convened a session on integrating microbial techniques to biogeochemical cycling. 
Fall 2016
Dawson Fairbanks presents at the UA Science Cafe Series communicating her research findings this Fall. Check out the blog for more info.
​Fall 2016
An original piece of scientific artwork by Amy Scheid will be included in the scientific art event "Symbiosis: An Exhibition of Biological Art" on November 29th at the University of Arizona ENR2.  See the flyer below for more info! ​Fall 2016 
Noelle Espinosa had the opportunity to give a lecture on the role of microbes in soils to the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute in Green Valley, Arizona this October 2016. 
Fall 2016

Noelle Espinosa presented research at ISME2016! Check out the poster on our news page.
Summer 2016

Congratulations to Maggie Murphy who successfully defended her Master's thesis targeting nitrogen cycling genes post-fire as part of the Catalina Jemez Critical Zone Observatory. Great job Maggie!
Summer 2016

​Dawson Fairbanks received a CZO SAVI International Scholars award to support a training trip with the AquaDiva deep subsurface CZO in Jena, Germany. An excellent training and research opportunity! Check out pictures on blog
Spring 2016

Congratulations Jenn Hanson, who placed 17th, and the UA team, who placed 3rd overall in the 2016 Undergraduate Range Management Exam in Corpus Christi, TX! 
Spring 2016

Rachel Gallery and Kathryn Docherty's EcoInformatics course using CyVerse was featured in the Arizona Daily Star!
Spring 2016

Alex Morano presented her work through the Honors College Biosphere 2 Internship program. Great job Alex!
Spring 2016

Dawson Fairbanks received a Carson Scholarship! She joins an excellent program of graduate students committed to interdisciplinary research and communication in honor of Rachel Carson. Congratulations Dawson!
Spring 2016

In recognition of her outstanding undergraduate academic achievement, Cait Boyer was awarded CALS Academic Distinction. Well done Cait!
Spring 2016

Student-led publication from our RNR 696A: Ecoinformatics course is published in PLOS ONE! doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0135352 
iPlant news feature by Shelley Littin.
Fall 2015

Martha Gebhardt was awarded a UA GPSC travel grant to attend AGU this year. Congratulations Martha!
Fall 2015

Post-doctoral researcher Rebecca Lybrand was recently offered a tenure-track position at Oregon State University in pedology to begin in the spring. Congratulations Rebecca!
Fall 2015

Gayle Purdy recently graduated with her Master's in Applied Biosciences with an emphasis in Industrial Microbial Biotechnology. Congratulations Gayle! She will be heading to Purdue University in Lafayette Indiana. 
Spring 2015

Martha Gerbhardt successfully defended her Master's thesis looking at plant amendment effects on native plant re-establishment in arid lands. She will stay to begin her PhD work. Congratulations Martha!
Spring 2015

Dawson Fairbanks received the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program award studying soil microbiology in the Critical Zone and Noelle Espinosa received honorable mention. Congratulations Dawson and Noelle!
Spring 2015

Noelle Espinosa receives Sky School Outreach Fellowship where she will participate in immersive residiential science programs on Mount Lemmon's SkyCenter campus in the Coronado National Forest. Congratulations Noelle!
Spring 2015

Maggie Murphy becomes the first accelerated Master's student in the department of Soil, Water and Environmental Science co-advised with Rachel Gallery and Virginia Rich. Welcome Maggie!
Fall 2014