Project description
Unearthing the roots of soil carbon loss
Centuries of crop domestication have boosted yields, but at a cost. Modern crops are less resilient and may no longer support the soil’s natural ability to store carbon, a critical function for climate and food security. Changes in root traits could be part of the reason. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the ROOTEX-C project is led by a multidisciplinary team exploring how different root structures and exudates (from wild to domesticated plants) shape microbial communities and affect carbon stabilisation in soil. Using tools such as metabolomics, metagenomics, and isotope probing, ROOTEX-C aims to uncover mechanisms that could inform future crop breeding.
Objective
Domestication resulted in a loss of crop diversity, and greater susceptibility to biotic and abiotic stressors. But did this transition to domesticated varieties also influence soil carbon (C) stabilization pathways? To address this question ROOTEX-C will bring together a multidisciplinary team with expertise in plant physiology, microbiology, biogeochemistry, and soil science. The aim is to investigate how belowground plant traits, such as root architecture and exudation patterns, interact with microbial communities and influence soil C stabilization across different crop domestication statuses. By employing cutting-edge methodologies, including metabolomics, metagenomics, stable isotope probing, and novel methods for estimating microbial carbon use efficiency (CUE), ROOTEX-C aims to significantly advance our mechanistic understanding of plant-soil C processes and gain insights into the effects of crop domestication on plant belowground traits. Project findings could ultimately inform crop breeding programs and agronomic practices that seek to enhance soil C contributing to both global food security and climate change mitigation. Beyond its scientific contributions, this project is pivotal for the fellow's professional development. By acquiring advanced interdisciplinary skills in microbial ecology, biogeochemistry, and plant physiology, she will gain the technical expertise required to tackle complex environmental and agricultural challenges. The collaboration with leading institutions and renowned experts will not only enhance her technical skill set but also strengthen her professional network, fostering future interdisciplinary research collaborations. The experience will significantly enhance her career prospects, positioning her for leadership roles in both academic research and industry sectors focused on sustainable agriculture.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences biological sciences ecology
- medical and health sciences basic medicine physiology
- agricultural sciences agriculture, forestry, and fisheries agriculture
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology
- natural sciences earth and related environmental sciences geochemistry biogeochemistry
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2024-PF-01
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
08193 BELLATERRA
Spain
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.