Scientists Meet Scientists – TUM-IAS Wednesday Coffee Talk by Dr. Noelia Garcia Franco: “Climate change induces losses of soil structure and associated organic carbon in Alpine grassland soils”
Events, WCT |
On 15 May 2024, there will be a talk by Dr. Noelia Garcia Franco (Soil Science, TUM) on “Climate change induces losses of soil structure and associated organic carbon in Alpine grassland soils”.
TUM press release: Climate change threatens mountain meadows - TUM
Abstract:
Climate warming is more severe in Alpine and pre-alpine grassland soils compared to lowland regions. In our study we assessed the effect of warming (+1°C, +2°C, and +3°C) on i) SOC stocks; and ii) soil structure in grassland soils of the Northern Limestone Alps in Germany. We translocated plant-soil mesocosms from high (1260 m a.s.l.) and medium elevations (860 m a. s. l.) to low elevation (600 m a.s.l.). Our experimental design combined both site re-location and altitude translocation allowing differentiating between the effects of soil manipulation and climate change. In addition, two different grassland management practices: i) extensive (2 cuts for hay and 67 N kg ha-1 yr-1 slurry application); and ii) intensive (4-5 cuts for hay and 170 N kg ha-1 yr-1 slurry application) were carried out on translocated mesocosms. Four years of warming induced by translocating plant-soil mesocosms along an elevation gradient in Alpine and pre-alpine grassland soils resulted in a rapid decrease of SOC and N stocks (24-25%), particularly under extensive grassland management. These losses were associated with a decrease in the proportion of macroaggregates under both extensive and intensive management. Intensive management with higher manure C return than extensive management (1.598 vs. 0.795 t C ha-1 yr-1) only slightly offset the losses of SOC in the plant-soil mesocosms. Optimized grassland management in the form of increased application of organic fertilizers could only partially offset the SOC loss by improved formation of small macroaggregates. Our results evidence that climate change may have severe consequences for the soil structure and thus for the physico-chemical protective capacity of mountainous grassland soils to store SOM.
Date: May 15, 2024
Time: 13:00 CEST (until approx. 14:00)
Location: online
Registration: The TUM-IAS Wednesday Coffee talks are held online via Zoom. To register and to receive the Zoom link, please send an email to events(at)ias.tum.de.
THE TUM-IAS WEDNESDAY COFFEE TALKS
Every Wednesday after lunch, it's all about a new topic - current research highlights at TUM, insights into the work of our Fellows from all over the world, sometimes even topics not usually found at TUM, such as history or theology.
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Each final Wednesday of the month, a topic related to the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals will be featured as a part of the Seminar Series of European Universities on Sustainability, a new initiative of the TUM-IAS in partnership with universities across Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe.
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