We study how the binding of contaminants to the soil matrix is altered in agricultural soils due to a shift in climatic conditions. The consequently altered availability of contaminants in the soil is expected to affect microbial community dynamics involved in greenhouse gas emission. We run vertical soil mesocosm experiments under seasonal weather conditions compared to different IPCC-postulated climate scenarios, and determine shifts in soil and solution geochemistry, investigate differences in Cd mineralogy at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, and characterize dynamics of present and active microbial communities.

This research topic is lead by Jun. Prof. E. Dr. Marie Muehe

Team members: Marie Muehe, Sören Drabesch

Collaborators: Scott Fendorf, Britta Planer-Friedrich, Kai Uwe Totsche