From Decay to Delay: Organic Matter’s Fate in Soils, Inland Waters, and Ocean

The rate of organic matter (OM) degradation relative to preservation plays a crucial role in determining an ecosystem’s carbon balance, affecting how much carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere and influencing climate change. Still, despite decades of research, there is no unified conceptual framework for OM degradation (decay) and preservation (delay) across terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecosystems. This project seeks to better understand OM dynamics in various terrestrial and water ecosystems by integrating biogeochemical and microbial ecology perspectives in combination with expert knowledge from different fields. The project’s interdisciplinary approach involves a hands-on experiment, testing different methods of tracking OM decay and delay across soil-to-water transition zones. The researchers will use specially labeled plant material in controlled conditions to see how temperature changes affect its breakdown and absorption by microbes. Additionally, they will establish a research network to facilitate cross-disciplinary collaboration and knowledge exchange. A Mini-Symposium will convene experts in soil science, limnology, and marine biogeochemistry to discuss findings and develop a roadmap for future research. This project is a first step toward larger research efforts, that can help to better understand how OM contributes to environmental changes and what can be done to protect ecosystems for the future.

• Lead PI: Katrin Attermeyer, Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology & WasserCluster Lunz
• Co-PI 1: Lucia Fuchslueger, Center for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, Division of Terrestrial Ecosystem Research