Sarah Semeraro-Miéville
Postdoc
sarah.mieville@unine.ch
D223
+41 32 718 22 28
Web
https://sarahsemeraro.com/
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6454-7863ORCID
https://libra.unine.ch/entities/person/3f031c85-23a6-4ad0-863b-fc2450c15e4c/details
PhD in biology, University of Neuchâtel, 2024
MSc in biology, majoring in ecology and environment and chemical ecology, University of Neuchâtel, 2018
Research
My research explores plant–soil interactions across the diverse bioclimatic zones of Switzerland, with a focus on the processes driving soil formation and evolution. I study the complex ecological relationships that link above- and below-ground components of terrestrial ecosystems, particularly how biotic and abiotic factors influence soil functions and services over time and across environmental gradients.
I am particularly interested in:
- Soil development and organic matter dynamics across elevation and climate gradients
- The role of plant-derived phytochemicals in litter decomposition and humus formation
- Long-term soil property changes, including legacy effects from past land use and management
- Contributions of microbial and faunal communities (e.g., nematodes) to ecosystem functioning in mountain soils
- The impact of solar radiation and other climatic drivers on decomposition and soil processes in alpine environments
Ongoing projects
2025
Terres vivantes project, in collaboration with Porf. Claire Le Bayon and Sarah Rey – Finalization of the project and presentation of results.
2024-2025
Artemisia absinthium project, Botanical garden of Neuchâtel in collaboration with the functional ecology laboratory of the University of Neuchâtel – Collection of soil samples and soil laboratory analysis.
Main thematics
- Pedology
- Pedogenesis
- Decomposition of organic matter
- Humus forms
- Plant & soil interactions
- Ecosystem functions
- Science and pedagogy
Teaching
- Lecturer in “Human-Environment Interactions”, BSc in Biology and Ethnology, University of Neuchâtel
- Lecturer “Forensic soils”, MSc in human taphonomy, University of Lausanne
- Student supervision (BSc & MSc)
- Soil description & analysis (6ECTS) of the Master of Science in Biogeosciences, University of Neuchâtel & University of Lausanne, 2019 -2024
Other collaborations
- Educational workshops on soil science (Rallye du Vallon de Nant, Fête de la Nature)
- Youth Vacation Passport (2019-2024 editions)
Prizes and awards
2020 SNSF Scientific Image Competition – Jury distinction in category 3, “Places and instruments”. To learn more about the SNSF Scientific Image Competition
Grants
2021 Subvention Égalité, 5’000 CHF
Publications
Semeraro, Sarah and Fazzari, Maud and Nomoto, Hanna and Defossez, Emmanuel and Glauser, Gaëtan and Le Bayon, Renée-Claire and Rasmann, Sergio, Phytochemical Diversity Predicts Litter Decomposition Along Elevation Gradients. Available at SSRN: http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5015558
Semeraro, Sarah and Tuchschmid, Roxane and Gobat, Jean-Michel and Rasmann, Sergio and Le Bayon, Renée-Claire, Temporal Changes in Soil Properties: Insights from a 37-Years-Old Swiss Soil Library. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4927640
Semeraro, S. (2024). The relative contribution of the five pedogenesis factors to soil formation and soil organic matter incorporation across environmental gradients (R.-C. Le Bayon & S. Rasmann (eds.)). Neuchâtel : Université de Neuchâtel. https://doi.org/10.35662/unine-thesis-3151
Semeraro, S., Fazzari, M., Kipf, P., Rasmann, S., & Le Bayon, R.-C. (2023). Humus Forms and Organic Matter Decomposition in the Swiss Alps. International Journal of Plant Biology, 14(3), 729-745. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijpb14030054
Semeraro, S., Kipf, P., Le Bayon, R. C., & Rasmann, S. (2023). Solar radiation explains litter degradation along alpine elevation gradients better than other climatic or edaphic parameters. Frontiers in Microbiology, 14, 1152187. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2023.1152187
, , , , , , & (2022). Relative contribution of high and low elevation soil microbes and nematodes to ecosystem functioning. Functional Ecology, 36, 974–986. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2435.14002
