Much of the life that keeps people and the planet healthy is hidden from view. Microbial communities in soils, the air and the human body play important roles in ecosystem function and human wellbeing, yet environmental change can disrupt these communities and the relationships between them.
At the same time, many of the ecosystems that sustain this hidden biodiversity are being degraded, while the biological processes occurring within them can be difficult to monitor. There is therefore a need to better understand how environmental change affects microbial communities, how exposure to biodiverse environments influences human health, and how degraded ecosystems can be more effectively monitored and restored.
Jake Robinson’s research combines ecology, microbiology and new technologies to reveal the hidden biological systems that connect environmental and human health.
He has investigated how microbial communities vary across soils, vegetation and the air, and how exposure to biodiverse environments may shape human microbial communities and influence physical and mental wellbeing. His work includes research on biodiverse green spaces, soil–plant–human microbial transfer and nature-based health interventions.
He has also helped develop soil ecoacoustics, using specialised sensors and machine-learning models to detect the tiny vibrations produced by soil organisms. This provides a non-destructive way to assess soil biodiversity and recovery across farms, restoration sites and post-mining landscapes.
His current research is bringing these strands together to develop practical tools and systems-level understanding that can support ecosystem restoration, regenerative agriculture, evidence-based urban design and public-health approaches that recognise nature as a foundational determinant of wellbeing.
A major part of his work also focuses on translating this science beyond academia. He communicates ecology, microbiome science and planetary health through popular-science books (Invisible Friends, Treewilding, The Nature of Pandemics, The Nature of AI), a YouTube channel with more than 50,000 subscribers (www.youtube.com/@naturegutbrain), podcasts, public talks, workshops and community initiatives such as Soil Yourself September. Across these platforms, his aim is to build scientific literacy, inspire curiosity and help people see how healthy ecosystems underpin human wellbeing.