Collaborative Research: Soil Organic Matter in the Tropics: Determinants and Consequences

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North Carolina State University's Tropical Soils Research Program and Colorado State University's Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory continue to investigate the determinants and consequences of soil organic matter (SOM) in the humid tropics. Main activities consist of 1) determining the relative effects of soil texture and clay mineralogy on total SOM content, 2) estimating the size of different SOM functional pools, 3) relating their N and P supplying capacity to texture and mineralogy, 4) determining the relative importance of physical protection, chemical recalcitrance and nutrient availability on the SOM pools, and 5) quantifying the effects of different land use practices on SOM pools. The CENTURY model will be modified for use in tropical conditions. The results will provide a deeper understanding of organic matter dynamics in soils with variable charge which will serve as a base for improved agricultural sustainability in the humic tropics and more realistic estimates of CO2 emissions to the atmosphere upon deforestation. This is an excellent research team that pioneered the development and calibration of the CENTURY model. The model has been used extensively for studying soil development. The facilities available for this research are excellent.