U2WORM

Carbon storage and biogeochemical cycling in soil is influenced by physical, chemical and biological processes, which are most often studied separately. Our project aims to overcome this limitation as it elucidates the impact of soil fauna, in particular earthworms, on the formation of organo-mineral interactions in biogenic aggregates. We will study these processes through a combination of field and laboratory experiments in temperate as well as tropical environments. Our research goes beyond the current state of knowledge because it is based on specific earthworm traits instead of using the traditional functional group classification. The project results concern fundamental knowledge of relationships between traits and their function in terms of soil carbon sequestration. These processes will be addressed using modern state of art techniques and concepts. The results will be implemented by developing new model parameters and ecoengineering applications.