Award details

Biological processes in a structured soil environment

ReferenceBBS/E/S/00000444
Principal Investigator / Supervisor Professor Andrew Whitmore
Co-Investigators /
Co-Supervisors
Institution Silsoe Research Institute
DepartmentSilsoe Research Institute Department
Funding typeResearch
Value (£) 485,260
StatusCompleted
TypeInstitute Project
Start date 01/04/1999
End date 31/10/2004
Duration67 months

Abstract

Agriculture and environmental concerns are becoming more and more closely linked. On a large scale this means addressing public concerns and adhering to environmental norms. On a small scale it means integrating the complex mix of chemistry, physics and biology that make up the local conditions in which a plant grows. The key to meeting the problems found at the larger scale is addressing the issues raised at the smaller scale and in particular unravelling the complex relationships on which these issues rest. This project will test and quantify the hypothesis that biological processes in soil such as mineralisation of nitrogen and sequestration of carbon depend as much on the physical structure of the soil and the physico-chemical interactions between particles in addition to the activity of micro-organisms. It will draw upon much of the existing work at SRI and IACR-Rothamsted with a view to improving current computer simulation models but it will also feed information back to provide a better understanding how biological processes modify the physical structure of soils.

Summary

unavailable
Committee Closed Committee - Agri-food (AF)
Research TopicsX – not assigned to a current Research Topic
Research PriorityX – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative X - not in an Initiative
Funding SchemeX – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme
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