I use a combination of field experiments and observations, greenhouse experiments on plant community mesocosms, and laboratory analysis of soils and microbial communities to identify the mechanisms that stabilize the coexistence of plant species, influence community assembly, and drive successional change. I generally do this work in the context of ecological restoration efforts. Specifically, I have focused on the reassembly of native plant communities following invasive species removal and on species coexistence and plant succession in restored grasslands. My current work focuses the mechanisms underlying community assembly of plant and soil fungal communities and the links between these communities and ecosystem function.