RESEARCH
Historic land-use and soil organic carbon
My dissertation research combines extensive land-use histories with Germany's first nationwide uniform inventory of agricultural soils, Bodenzustandserhebung Landwirtschaft (BZE-LW), to investigating the impact of land-use history and land-use change on agricultural soil organic carbon dynamics. As part of the European Joint Project for Sustainable Soil Management, this research has implications for federal emissions reporting and aims to broaden our understanding of the impact of anthropogenic changes to natural soils.
Related publication, here.
Estimating mineral associated organic carbon
Carbon that has formed organo-mineral complexes with silt and clay particles is believed to be less susceptible to decay than non-complexed organic carbon. This research established a framework for estimating mineral associated organic carbon concentrations and mineral associated organic carbon deficits and, further, discusses the factors related to organo-mineral complexation in soils.
Soil organic carbon in irrigated agricultural systems
Agricultural management practices effect a complex system of soil processes related to carbon storage. The impacts of most of these management practices are relatively well understood. This research investigates the understudied effects on soil organic carbon of cropping systems that incorporate irrigation and discusses avenues for future research.
Related publication, here.
