Leo is a Theme co-Leader for Sustainable Bio-Protection at the Centre, with responsibility for soil biology. He develops and guides the strategic direction of research that is linked to the impacts of soil biological properties and processes on the fate and efficacy of natural and introduced biocontrol and bio-protection agents in managed ecosystems.

Leo's major research interest is biogeochemistry of soil organic carbon and phosphorus in natural and managed ecosystems. This research has an emphasis on the nature, dynamics and bio-availability of organic and mineral forms of nutrients in the soil-plant system in relation to soil management and land use.

Based at Lincoln University, his project areas include:

• organic matter and nutrient dynamics in grassland and forest soils
• soil chronosequence dynamics
• rhizosphere processes
• relationships between soil microbial diversity and function
• the nature, mobility and fate of phosphorus in terrestrial environments.