Studying vegetation in different biomes around the world, Alexia Stokes focuses on plant root growth and biophysical interactions in soil. She uses knowledge to find solutions for stabilizing soil on slopes and improving tree anchorage during storms. More recently working on microbial interactions in soil, Alexia aims to link belowground biodiversity with soil structure and examine the implications for ecosystem services. Alexia has published more than 140 journal papers and edited three books since her PhD at the University of York (UK).