Hi, my name is Gabriel, and I like to work with (almost) invisible things. Every day, as I walk into the lab at the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), I’m reminded of the very small things that, despite their size, have a very big impact on our lives. Like the tiny microbes in our soils that help cycle nutrients, the gas molecules that heat our planet, or the almost invisible compounds that plants release from their roots. I'm a PhD student working on the ClipsMicro project, and my focus is on a simple and sustainable idea: using the right plants, at the right time, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from farmland.

Two years after our first scientific expedition, we returned to the Galápagos Islands—this time with sharper tools, new goals, and even more excitement. Our mission? To dive deeper into the hidden microbial world of Scalesia, the archipelago’s iconic giant daisies, and uncover secrets that even our earlier work only hinted at.