Breaking new ground for soil restoration: function and fate of core beneficial microbial consortium coated by pyrogenic carbon

Projektbeschreibung

Tief in die Bodendegradation vordringen

Zahlreiche Faktoren tragen zur Degradation des Bodens bei: unangemessene Landwirtschaftsmethoden und exzessive Bergbauaktivitäten zur Gewinnung von Kohle oder Düngemitteln wie auch eine verringerte Widerstandsfähigkeit der mikrobiellen Gemeinschaften im Boden Unabhängig von der Ursache ist es hier nötig, Abhilfe zu schaffen. Der Einsatz pyrogener Kohlenstoffe könnte sich bei der Kohlenstoffsequestrierung und Bodensanierung als vorteilhaft erweisen. Das EU-finanzierte Projekt FIREMAN möchte in einzigartigen Lebensräumen mikrobielle Kerngemeinschaften identifizieren. Um eine gesteigerte Nutzung der Bioabfälle und funktioneller Bodeninokula in der Kreislaufwirtschaft der EU zu ermöglichen, beschäftigt sich das Projektteam mit der Frage, ob sich mithilfe pyrogenen Kohlenstoffs (einer wichtigen stabilen Kohlenstoffstruktur) die Aktivität mikrobieller Kerngemeinschaften aufrechterhalten lässt, während diese aus Donorböden entnommen und in Rezeptorböden neu angesiedelt werden.

Ziel

One of the most challenging tasks in ecology is to reclaim landscapes being disturbed by anthropogenic activities. Many human endeavours have been put forth for improving microbial activities and their structures, soil organic carbon level and plant reestablishment after depleting the top earth. Global use of pyrogenic carbon shows promising prospect on C sequestration and soil restoration, but there is a noticeable delayed advancement in improving its benefits. In accordance to UN Climate Smart Agriculture and UN Sustainable Development Goals, this project will seek a novel strategy for soil restoration by using pyrogenic carbon and core microbial communities (CBMs), to gain multiple benefits including aspects of waste management, C sequestration and plant regeneration. The project will make use of unique habitats for CBMs selection at both a long-term natural successional post mining site and a well-recorded reclaimed meadow in Czech Republic, Central Europe. The main objective of this project is to assess if pyrogenic carbon could ensure the function of CBMs during their transplantations from donor to recipient soils: 1) disentangle the ‘refuge’ effect of pyrogenic carbon on CBMs from macro-fauna by isotopic analysis, and microbial oxidation effect on pore structures and hydrophobicity of pyrogenic carbon, and 2) clarify the compositions of CBMs and their functions to responsive plant species in undeveloped soils. The transfer of knowledge between the host institution and the candidate will pave a solid way for the researcher’s scientific career, and future collaborations between the researcher, the host and the secondment are foreseen. Altogether, this project will provide a promising potential to increase the competitiveness of EU in using bio-wastes and soil inoculants for circular economy by bridging in waste management and soil restoration.