Influence of water on preservation of lipids in soils

DAAD 50022145

From 07/2009 to 06/2011

Principal Investigator: Guido L.B. Wiesenberg
Staff: Martina Gocke, Christine Hellerström

Changing precipitation patterns i.e. an increase in intense rain events during the winter season and a higher frequency in drought conditions during the summer season, are predicted in the near future within Central and Western Europe. The influence of such climate changes on plant, microbial biomass and organic matter in soil are not completely understood. Our collaborative (UK/German) research programme will focus on the incorporation, degradation and preservation of plant and microbial derived lipids present at different depths in grassland soils. We will compare the lipid composition and preservation in grassland soils under stagnic (permanently wet) or drained (more frequent drying and rewetting) conditions. New shared approaches, including isotopic tracers like 15N, 13C, and 14C (latter only laboratory!) at the molecular level, will be used by both UK and German members of the research team in number of linked collaborative field and laboratory experiments. In collaboration with Roland Bol, Jennifer Dungait, Liz Dixon (all North Wyke Research, Okehampton, UK) and Richard Evershed (University of Bristol, Bristol, UK)