Research interests
Andre Eger is a senior researcher at Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research with a background in soil science, specialising in pedology, geochemistry, Quaternary geology and geomorphology, with particular emphasis on the New Zealand/South Pacific region. He has a broad perspective on landscape functioning and is able to ‘connect the dots’ between different domains in the environment (e.g., soil, biota, geology/geochemistry, hydrology, climate). He works on applied and fundamental questions including soil survey; sustainable soil use and ecosystem services; landscape evolution; biogeochemical interactions between soil, water, rock, and biota; and soils as archives of landscape and climate history.
He has an undergraduate degree in Physical Geography from the University of Leipzig (Germany) and a PhD in Soil Science from Lincoln University on natural drivers of soil and ecosystem fertility.
Qualifications
Lincoln
PhD Soil Science
2012
Leipzig
MSc Geography
2007
Publications
Eger A, Winnick M, Larsen I, Condron L, Boitt G, Hynek S, Jercinovic M, Rhodes J 2025. Controls on Weathering Zone Thickness in a Rapidly Eroding Mountain Range, Western Southern Alps/Ka Tiritiri o te Moana, New Zealand/Aotearoa. Journal of Geophysical Research-Earth Surface 130(11): 20. WOS:001609565100001 https://doi.org/10.1029/2025jf008349
Pollacco J, Eger A, Rajannayaka C, Fernández Gálvez J 2024. Improved partitioning between matrix and macropore flow: Novel bimodal lognormal functions for water retention and hydraulic conductivity in pumice and non-pumice soils. Journal of Hydrology 644: 131985. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2024.131985
Lilburne L, Helfenstein A, Heuvelink GBM, Eger A 2024. Interpreting and evaluating digital soil mapping prediction uncertainty: A case study using texture from SoilGrids. Geoderma 450: 17. WOS:001347568400001 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2024.117052
Ficetola GF, Marta S, Guerrieri A, Cantera I, Bonin A, Cauvy-Fraunié S, Ambrosini R, Caccianiga M, Anthelme F, Azzoni RS, Almond P, Alviz Gazitúa P, Ceballos Lievano JL, Chand P, Chand Sharma M, Clague JJ, Cochachín Rapre JA, Compostella C, Encarnación RC, Dangles O, Deline P, Eger A, Erokhin S, Franzetti A, Gielly L, Gili F, Gobbi M, Hågvar S, Kaufmann R, Khedim N, Meneses RI, Morales-Martínez MA, Peyre G, Pittino F, Proietto A, Rabatel A, Sieron K, Tielidze L, Urseitova N, Yang Y, Zaginaev V, Zerboni A, Zimmer A, Diolaiuti GA, Taberlet P, Poulenard J, Fontaneto D, Thuiller W, Carteron A 2024. The development of terrestrial ecosystems emerging after glacier retreat. Nature 632(8024): 336–342. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-07778-2
Carteron A, Cantera I, Guerrieri A, Marta S, Bonin A, Ambrosini R, Anthelme F, Azzoni RS, Almond P, Gazitúa PA, Cauvy-Fraunie S, Lievano JLC, Chand P, Sharma MC, Clague JJ, Rapre JAC, Compostella C, Encarnacion RC, Dangles O, Eger A, Erokhin S, Franzetti A, Gielly L, Gili F, Gobbi M, Hagvar S, Khedim N, Meneses RI, Peyre G, Pittino F, Rabatel A, Urseitova N, Yang Y, Zaginaev V, Zerboni A, Zimmer A, Taberlet P, Diolaiuti GA, Poulenard J, Thuiller W, Caccianiga M, Ficetola GF 2024. Dynamics and drivers of mycorrhizal fungi after glacier retreat. New Phytologist. WOS:001197763400001 https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.19682
Guerrieri A, Cantera I, Marta S, Bonin A, Carteron A, Ambrosini R, Caccianiga M, Anthelme F, Azzoni RS, Almond P, Gazitúa PA, Cauvy-Fraunié S, Lievano JLC, Chand P, Sharma MC, Clague J, Rapre JAC, Compostella C, Encarnación RC, Dangles O, Deline P, Eger A, Erokhin S, Franzetti A, Gielly L, Gili F, Gobbi M, Hågvar S, Khedim N, Meneses RI, Peyre G, Pittino F, Proietto A, Rabatel A, Urseitova N, Yang Y, Zaginaev V, Zerboni A, Zimmer A, Taberlet P, Diolaiuti GA, Poulenard J, Fontaneto D, Thuiller W, Ficetola GF 2024. Local climate modulates the development of soil nematode communities after glacier retreat. Global Change Biology 30(1). WOS:001151213000071 https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.17057
Cantera I, Carteron A, Guerrieri A, Marta S, Bonin A, Ambrosini R, Anthelme F, Azzoni RS, Almond P, Gazitúa PA, Cauvy-Fraunié S, Lievano JLC, Chand P, Sharma MC, Clague J, Rapre JAC, Compostella C, Encarnación RC, Dangles O, Eger A, Erokhin S, Franzetti A, Gielly L, Gili F, Gobbi M, Hågvar S, Khedim N, Meneses RI, Peyre G, Pittino F, Rabatel A, Urseitova N, Yang Y, Zaginaev V, Zerboni A, Zimmer A, Taberlet P, Diolaiuti GA, Poulenard J, Thuiller W, Caccianiga M, Ficetola GF 2024. The importance of species addition 'versus' replacement varies over succession in plant communities after glacier retreat. Nature Plants. WOS:001144463100001 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41477-023-01609-4
Larsen IJ, Eger A, Almond PC, Thaler EA, Rhodes JM, Prasicek G 2023. The influence of erosion and vegetation on soil production and chemical weathering rates in the Southern Alps, New Zealand e. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 608. WOS:000962537600001 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2023.118036
Hu W, Cichota R, Beare M, Muller K, Drewry J, Eger A 2023. Soil structural vulnerability: Critical review and conceptual development. Geoderma 430. WOS:000926242100001 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2023.116346
Roudier P, Odgers N, Carrick S, Eger A, Hainsworth S, Beaudette D 2022. <p>Soilscapes of New Zealand: Pedologic diversity as organised along environmental gradients</p>. Geoderma 409. WOS:000788128600001 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2021.115637
Eger A, Koele N, Caspari T, Poggio M, Kumar K, Burge OR 2021. Quantifying the importance of soil-forming factors using multivariate soil data at landscape scale. Journal of Geophysical Research-Earth Surface 126(8). WOS:000690776900016 https://doi.org/10.1029/2021jf006198
Mudge PL, Millar J, Pronger J, Roulston A, Penny V, Fraser S, Eger A, Caspari T, Robertson B, Mason NWH, Schipper LA 2021. Impacts of irrigation on soil C and N stocks in grazed grasslands depends on aridity and irrigation duration. Geoderma 399. WOS:000656902300009 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2021.115109
Robertson BB, Almond PC, Carrick ST, Penny V, Eger A, Chau HW, Smith CMS 2021. The influence of rock fragments on field capacity water content in stony soils from hard sandstone alluvium. Geoderma 389. WOS:000621897200001 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2020.114912
Drewry JJ, McNeill SJ, Carrick S, Lynn IH, Eger A, Payne J, Rogers G, Thomas SM 2021. Temporal trends in soil physical properties under cropping with intensive till and no-till management. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 64(2): 223–244. WOS:000620028100006 https://doi.org/10.1080/00288233.2019.1684323
Lilburne L, Eger A, Mudge P, Ausseil AG, Stevenson B, Herzig A, Beare M 2020. The Land Resource Circle: supporting land-use decision making with an ecosystem-service-based framework of soil functions. Geoderma 363. WOS:000515198500011 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2019.114134
Graham SL, Laubach J, Hunt JE, Eger A, Carrick S, Whitehead D 2019. Predicting soil water balance for irrigated and non-irrigated lucerne on stony, alluvial soils. Agricultural Water Management 226. WOS:000525274200015 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2019.105790
Mikutta R, Turner S, Schippers A, Gentsch N, Meyer-Stuve S, Condron LM, Peltzer DA, Richardson SJ, Eger A, Hempel G, Kaiser K, Klotzbucher T, Guggenberger G 2019. Microbial and abiotic controls on mineral-associated organic matter in soil profiles along an ecosystem gradient. Scientific Reports 9. WOS:000475559200023 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-46501-4
Eger A, Yoo K, Almond PC, Boitt G, Larsen IJ, Condron LM, Wang X, Mudd SM 2018. Does soil erosion rejuvenate the soil phosphorus inventory? Geoderma 332: 45–59. WOS:000441487000006 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2018.06.021
Mudge P, Pronger J, Fraser S, Eger A, Thornburrow D, Caspari T, Schipper L 2017. Impact of irrigation on soil carbon and nitrogen. Soil Horizons. http://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/publications/newsletters/soil/issue-26,-october-2017
Villamor P, Almond P, Tuttle MP, Giona-Bucci M, Langridge RM, Clark K, Ries W, Bastin SH, Eger A, Vandergoes M, Quigley MC, Barker P, Martin F, Howarth J 2016. Liquefaction features produced by the 2010–2011 Canterbury earthquake sequence in southwest Christchurch, New Zealand, and preliminary assessment of paleoliquefaction features. Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America 106(4): 1747–1771. https://doi.org/10.1785/0120150223
Turner S, Schippers A, Meyer-Stüve S, Guggenberger G, Gentsch N, Dohrmann R, Condron LM, Eger A, Almond PC, Peltzer DA, Richardson SJ, Mikutta R 2014. Mineralogical impact on long-term patterns of soil nitrogen and phosphorus enzyme activities. Soil Biology & Biochemistry 68: 31–43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2013.09.016
Eger A, Hewitt A 2008. Soils and their relationship to aspect and vegetation history in the eastern Southern Alps, Canterbury High Country, South Island, New Zealand. Catena 75(3): 297–307. WOS:000261251900007 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2008.07.008
Eger A, Stevenson BA, Theng B, Rhodes P, Fraser S, Penny V, Burge OR Long-Term Effects of Fertilizer Application and Irrigation on Soils Under Pasture Land Use. Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition. WOS:000901989200002 https://doi.org/10.1007/s42729-022-01084-4