College of Agriculture & Natural Resources Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences

Dr. Christine Sprunger is an Associate Professor of soil health in the Department of Plant, Soil, and Microbial Sciences and is based at the W.K. Kellogg Biological Station. Her research focuses on the intersection of agriculture and the environment, where she investigates how various agricultural management practices impacts soil health and ecosystem services. In addition, Dr. Sprunger is interested in understanding how nematode communities can serve as a key soil biological health indicator within agroecosystems. Lastly, Dr. Sprunger explores how climate change impacts rhizosphere dynamics and soil food webs.

Christine Sprunger Lab Website

Christine Sprunger publications on Google Scholar

Prior to joining MSU, Dr. Sprunger was an assistant professor of soil science and rhizosphere processes at Ohio State University from 2018-2022. Prior to starting a faculty position, Dr. Sprunger completed a National Science Foundation Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Biology at Columbia University, where she examined the relationship between soil carbon dynamics and crop productivity in small holder farming systems in Kenya and Tanzania. Dr. Sprunger holds a Ph.D. in Crop and Soil Sciences and Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, and Behavior from Michigan State University, and she received both a B.S. in Forest Resources and a B.A. in Program on the Environment from the University of Washington with a minor in Human Rights.

Current Projects

Blesh, J., Asher, A. Sprunger, C.D. Understanding the outcomes of improved soil health to accelerate conservation in the Western Lake Erie Basin. MDARD. Subaward to MSU. $1,411,282.38. Submitted March 20^th.

Sprunger, C.D., Bhowmik, A. 2024. MSU and A&T Exchange: Training and mentorship in nematology to enhance soil health assessments across the Southeastern United States. MSU and A&T Research Exchange.

Sprunger, C.D. Robertson, G.P., Basso, B., Charles, C., DeDecker, J., Jean, M., Kravchenko, A.N., Laporte, J., Marquate-Pyatt, S., Sears, M., Singh, M., Ulbrich, T., Wilke, B. 2024-2027.MSU Agricultural Climate Resiliency Program. $1,249,599.

Haddad, N., Evans, S., and Sprunger, C.D. 2024-2027. Diversified cropping systems for biodiversity and ecosystem services. USDA NIFA. $749,999.71.

Wessel, B. and Sprunger, C.D. 2024-2025. Establishing Soil and Plant Nutrient Laboratory data as a research resource. Project Green. $19,488.45.

Sprunger, C.D. Robertson, G.P. and Evans, S. 2023-2026. MSU/Syngenta Soil Health Partnership. Syngenta. $350,000.

Sprunger, C.D., Shulthies, E., and Docherty, K. 2023-2026. Exploring the efficacy of prairie strips as a soil health promoting practice. North Central SARE. $119,055.

Sprunger, C.D. Expand knowledge of how changes in soil food web dynamics impact overall soil health outcomes by sampling NCSS characterized pedons. 2023-2026. USDA NRCS Soil Survey. $489,613.

Sprunger, C.D., Haddad, N.K., and McDaniel, M.D. 2023-2025. Building a collaborative program to promote biodiversity and soil health in row-crop agriculture using prairie strip conservation. Doug and Maria Bayer New Initiatives Fund for Sustainable Agriculture 2023. $49,852.

Haddad, N., Basso, B., Evans, S., Kravchenko, A., Landis, Lau, J., Robertson, G.P. Sprunger, C.D., Zarnetske, P. 2022 – 2028. LTER: KBS – Revealing ecological and social mechanisms of resilience in agroecological systems. NSF LTER. $7,650,000.

Sprunger, C.D., Cordova, C., Lin, L. 2022-2024. Assessing a suite of indicators to predict soil carbon trajectories in agricultural systems. Environmental Defense Fund. $298,433.

Lindsey, A. and Sprunger, C.D. 2021-2026. After the Flood: Impacts on Rhizosphere Biology, Nutrient Cycling, and Corn Growth and Yield. USDA AFRI. $500,000. Subaward to Michigan State University for years 2022-2026.

 Culman, S.W., Sprunger, C.D., M. Sulc, B. Ward, R. Hayden, J. Jungers, M. Ryan, T. Crews, and L. DeHaan. 2019-2024. Organic dual-use perennial grain crops: Pathways to profitability and soil health. USDA OREI. $1,776,905.