Effect of human impact on floodplain soil functioning: Roles of fungi, fauna and soil organic matter on soil structure functioning in restored alluvial soils
Project
Type: Post-doc (2009-2011)
Fund: Swiss National Fundation – Marie Heim-Vögtlin Programme
Description:
In the present project, we aim to evaluate river restoration by studying the very first processes of soil structuring. River restoration plays a major role in environmental management and policy decisions, mainly due to increasing flood events. Agreement on what constitutes a successful restoration project continues to be lacking. The relevant and novel approach proposed here will be the association of morphological and biological aspects of the soil structure. While the morphological approach (study of macro- and microstructure by the use of thin plates, soil aggregate stability measurements) takes into account the evolution of the soil in relation to the general climate, the biological one (earthworms, fungal communities, organic matter) may help us to understanding soil organic matter incorporation. Moreover, we propose to validate these considerations by comparing them with the evolution of relatively undisturbed systems that may be considered as close approximations of conditions prior canalization.
Keywords:
River restoration ; Soil structure; Soil fauna ; Organic matter; Soil fungi
Collaborations:
Claire Guenat, Laboratoire ECOS & WSL, EPFL, Lausanne
Claire Le Bayon, Laboratoire Sol & Végétation, Université de Neuchâtel
Coraline Sahin, Master Student
Nathalie Moreira, Master Student
Vincent Feissli, Civilist
Contact
Laboratoire Biogéosciences, IGP, Université de Lausanne
E-Mail: [email protected]
Guest at ECOS Lab
Bureau : GRB2402
Téléphone : [+41] 21 693 47 38