Root effects on soil organic matter: a double-edged sword

该项目旨在了解植物根系如何在草原上建立和破坏土壤有机质，以及干旱的影响是什么。土壤有机质是植物生长所需的最大的陆地养分储存库，但矛盾的是，植物根系形成新的土壤有机质也需要外部养分。该项目将通过使用新的以根为中心的框架和稳定的同位素技术来解决这一明显的悖论。该项目将使用最先进的计算机模型，其中包含了土壤有机质与植物根相互作用的最新框架。好处包括提高了管理和预测草原生产力和土壤有机质动态的能力，并提高了分辨率和准确性。

This project aims to understand how plant roots build and destroy soil organic matter in grasslands and what the impacts are of drought. Soil organic matter is the largest terrestrial reservoir of nutrients for plant growth, but paradoxically, formation of new soil organic matter by plant roots also requires external nutrients. This project will address this apparent paradox by using a new root-centric framework and stable isotope techniques. The project will use state-of-the art computer models that incorporate the latest frameworks on soil organic matter interacting with plant roots. Benefits include an improved capacity to manage and predict grassland productivity and soil organic matter dynamics with greater resolution and accuracy.