Understanding Tropical SOC Dynamics in a Changing Climate

Our research addresses the “mechanistic gap” in current carbon and land-use models. Tropical soils behave differently from temperate soil. We focus on four critical aspects of fire and land-use impacts on tropical SOC:

Mineralogical Protection & Texture

We will assess how soil mineralogy affects a soil’s capacity to protect carbon from decomposition.

Changing Climate

Increasing temperatures and changing precipitation regimes will substantially alter carbon cycling. We will study soil C x climate interactions across the Amazon Basin.

The Fire Legacy: Pyrogenic Carbon (PyC)

Slash-and-burn deforestation leaves behind charcoal (PyC). We are the first to assess PyC’s long-term contribution to regional carbon budgets, testing if this chemically recalcitrant carbon can offset some of the losses from burning.

From Mechanisms to Models

We are enhancing the JULES (Joint UK Land Environment Simulator) model. By incorporating multi-pool PyC fractions and agricultural management data (like no-tillage and silvopasture), we improve the accuracy of global carbon projections.

Header image: Ted Feldpausch