Quantifying soil organic matter formation under microbial consortia amendments
Summary
Soils host the largest terrestrial carbon pool on Earth. The sequestration of carbon in soil has been proposed as a solution to mitigate climate change. Carbon sequestration is dependent on the transformation of plant inputs into soil organic matter (SOM), which is mediated by the soil microbial community. A technology that leverages this transformation are soil amendments containing microbial consortia that are specifically designed to enhance SOM formation. Yet, the net effect of soil amendments on SOM stocks often remains unclear and it is unknown if and by which mechanism these amendments enhance the formation of stable SOM. In this project, SOIL is collaborating with the company YpHen SAS, a leader in the development of soil microbial consortia amendments. The goal of our collaboration is to develop a methodology to characterize the formation of stable SOM in soils inoculated with microbial consortia and thereby assess the effect of microbial consortia amendments on soil carbon sequestration.
General information
- PIs: Meret Aeppli (SOIL/IIE)
- Non-academic partner: YpHen SAS
- Start date: 01.04.2023
- Duration: 12 months