Linnea is a soil microbial ecologist driven by a passion for discovering the mystery of what microbes are doing belowground and their role in soil and plant health. She elucidates soil microbial activity using multi-omics alongside stable isotope probing. Currently, Linnea is working on multi-omics integration strategies to uncover microbial roles in carbon cycling. Previously, she has also focused on microbial drivers of an often-overlooked subset of carbon: volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Through this work, Linnea aims to understand how microbial processes drive geochemical and nutrient cycling in the face of environmental change.

Ph.D. Department of Soil, Water, and Environmental Science (Minor: Microbiology), University of Arizona, 2017

B.S. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, 2001

*, co first author

Meredith, L. K., S. M. Ledford, K. Riemer, P. Geffre, K. Graves, L. K. Honeker, D. LeBauer, M. M. Tfaily, J. Krechmer. (2023). Automating methods for estimating metabolite volatility. Frontiers in Microbiology. 14:2023. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2023.1267234

Honeker, L. K., G. Pugliese, J. Ingrisch, J. Fudyma, J. Gil-Loazia, E. Carpenter, E. Singer, G. Hildebrand, L. Shi, D. Hoyt, R. Chu, J. Toyoda, J. E. Krechmer, M. S. Claflin, C. Ayala-Ortiz, V. Freire-Zapata, E. Y, Pfannerstill, L. E. Daber, M. Dippold, J. Kreuzweiser, S. N. Ladd, C. Werner, M. M. Tfaily, and L. K. Meredith. (2023). Drought induces soil microbial stress responses and emissions of volatile organic compounds in an artificial tropical rainforest. Nature Microbiology. 8:1480-1494.

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41564-023-01432-9

Hildebrand, G. A*, L. K. Honeker*, V. Freire-Zapata, C. Ayala-Ortiz, S. Rajakaruna, J. Fudyma, L. E. Daber, R. AminiTabrizi, R. L. Chu, J. Toyoda, S. E. Flowers, D. W. Hoyt, R. Hamdan, J. Gil-Loaiza, L. Shi, M. A. Dippold, S. N. Ladd, C. Werner, L. K. Meredith, and M. M. Tfaily. (2023). Uncovering the dominant role of root metabolism under drought in tropical rainforest plants. Science of the Total Environment. 899:165689. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165689

Marques dos Santos, M., V. Pivniouk, B. Rank, A. Walker, G. Pagani, N. Hertkorn, P. Schmitt-Kopplin, C. Müller, F. Bracher, J. Merl-Pham, S. Hauck, A. N. Michael, D. Anderson, J. Gozdz, M. Holbreich, L. K. Honeker, F. D. Martinez, S. A. Snyder1, E. von Mutius, and D. Vercelli. (2023). Asthma-protective agents in dust from traditional farm environments The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, S0091-6749(23)00706-6.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaci.2023.05.013

Honeker, L.K.*, G. A. Hildebrand*, J. Fudyma, L. E. Daber, D. Hoyt, S. E. Flowers, J. Gil-Loaiza, A. Kübert, I. Bamberger, C. R. Anderton, J. Cliff, S. Leichty, R. AminiTabrizi, J. Kreuzwieser, L. Shi, X. Bai, D. Velickovic, M. A. Dippold, S. N. Ladd, C. Werner, L. K. Meredith, and M. M. Tfaily. (2022). Elucidating drought tolerance mechanisms in plant roots through ¹H-NMR metabolomics, MALDI-MS, and NanoSIMS imaging technologies. Environmental Science & Technology. 56:2021-2032.

https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.1c06772

Werner, C., L. K. Meredith, S. N. Ladd, J. Ingrisch, A. Kübert, J. van Haren, M. Bahn, K. Bailey, I. Bamberger, M. Beyer, D. Blomdahl, J. Byron, E. Daber, J. Deleeuw, M. Dippold, J. Fudyma, J. Gil-Loaiza, L. K. Honeker, J. Hu, J. Huang, T. Klüpfel, J. Krechmer, J. Kreuzwieser, K. Kühnhammer, M. M. Lehmann, K. Meeran, P. K. Misztal, WR. Ng, E. Pfannerstill, G. Pugliese, G. Purser, J. Roscioli, L. Shi, M. Tfaily, J. Williams. (2021). Ecosystem fluxes during drought and recovery in an experimental forest. Science, 374:1514-1518.

https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abj6789

Honeker, L. K., K. R. Graves, M. M. Tfaily, J. E. Krechmer, L. K. Meredith. (2021). The volatilome: a vital piece of the complete soil metabolome. Frontiers in Environmental Science. 9:1-9. (One of 25 articles to be chosen as Editor’s pick of 2021).

https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2021.649905

Pivniouk, V.*, J. Gimenes-Jr.*, Honeker, L. K.*, Vercelli, D. (2020). The role of innate immunity in asthma development and protection: Lessons from the environment. Clinical and Experimental Allergy. 50:282-290.

https://doi.org/10.1111/cea.13508

Honeker, L. K., C. F. Gullo, J. W. Neilson, J. Chorover, R. M. Maier. (2019). Effect of re-acidification on buffalo grass rhizosphere and bulk microbial communities during phytostabilization of metalliferous mine tailings. Frontiers in Microbiology.10:1209.

https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2019.01209

Honeker, L. K., J. W. Neilson, R.A. Root, J. Gil-Loaiza, J. Chorover, and R. M. Maier. (2017). Bacterial rhizoplane colonization patterns of Buchloe dactyloides growing in metalliferous mine tailings reflect plant status and biogeochemical conditions. Microbial Ecology. 74:853-867.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-017-0998-7

Honeker, L. K., R. A. Root, J. Chorover, and R. M. Maier. (2016). Resolving colocalization of bacteria and metal(loid)s on plant root surfaces by combining fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with multiple-energy micro-focused X-ray fluorescence (ME μXRF). Journal of Microbiological Methods. 131:22-33.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mimet.2016.09.018

• EMSL Exploratory Research Award (2025)
• Data Science Fellow (2022 - 2023)
• BIO5 Postdoctoral Fellowship (2020)
• NIH T32 (NRSA) Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (2018 – 2020)
• Abstract award and scholarship at American Thoracic Society International Conference (2019)
• PEO Scholar Award (2016)
• NSF Graduate Research Fellowship (2013 – 2016)
• PhytoScholar at the 10^th International Phytotechnologies Conference (2013)
• Great Lakes STEM National Scholarship (2012 - 2013)
• Poster award for advanced skill and technique in microscopy at Arizona Imaging and Microanalysis Society Annual Conference (2013)

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