Dr Najam Sahar

I am a microbial ecologist and Postgraduate Research Associate in the Ecosystem Recovery Lab, led by Dr David Moreno-Mateos at the School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford. My research explores how forest ecosystems recover from human disturbance and environmental change, with a particular interest in the role of soil microbial communities and their interactions with plants.

I currently work across both tropical and temperate forests, combining field ecology, laboratory research and data analysis to investigate biodiversity and ecosystem recovery. I am interested in how microbial and plant communities reassemble following disturbance, how their interactions influence ecosystem functioning, and what enables forests to recover and remain resilient over time. My work includes field sampling, soil and plant analyses, molecular approaches, and the analysis of environmental materials such as ancient charcoal to understand ecological change across different timescales.

I completed my MSc and MPhil in Microbiology at Quaid-e-Azam University, Pakistan, and later completed a NERC-funded PhD in Microbial Ecology at the University of Southampton. My doctoral training provided a strong foundation in soil microbial dynamics, plant-microbe interactions, nutrient cycling and ecosystem processes.

My broader research interests bring together microbial ecology, forest ecology and restoration science. I am particularly interested in connecting the biological processes occurring below ground with wider patterns of ecosystem recovery, and in translating ecological knowledge into practical approaches to restoration. By studying forests across different climates and environmental conditions, I hope to better understand why ecosystems recover differently and what can support their long-term resilience.