Project Details
Description
Soils contain large quantities of organic matter that both improve soil health and regulate atmospheric carbon dioxide levels by storing carbon (C). Metals such as manganese (Mn) can influence how much organic C is stored in soils by impacting plant growth and by helping to either stabilize or degrade organic compounds in the soil. This research will explore how Mn cycling between soils and plants influences storage of organic C in terrestrial ecosystems. This project will also create a network of educational opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students as well as K-12 educators and students. The educational objectives are to improve science literacy, integrate research with education, and broaden participation in geosciences by distributing earth science activities to regional K-12 educators through the Cleveland Museum of Natural History (CMNH). This project will also provide training for multiple graduate and undergraduate students who will be integral participants in both the research and educational components of the project.
Manganese is a biologically important and redox-active trace metal that may exert a poorly recognized control on carbon cycling in terrestrial ecosystems; however, the mechanisms by which Mn increases or decreases long-term carbon storage remains unclear. Although substantial research has been devoted to understanding how iron and aluminum oxides stabilize organic carbon, there is a scarcity of similar information regarding Mn oxides. Added to this knowledge gap are uncertainties related to how soil geochemistry regulates plant uptake of Mn, and how elevated foliar Mn impacts carbon loss and transformation during litter decomposition. The overarching hypothesis of this research is that vegetation regulates the geochemistry of manganese in terrestrial systems with secondary effects on organic carbon storage in soils. The implication of this hypothesis is that Mn is an unrecognized but significant regulator of the global C cycle. This research will integrate studies across multiple scales to explore three major components of manganese biogeochemistry and associated impacts on carbon cycling in the critical zone: (1) geochemical controls on rates of Mn cycling by forest vegetation; (2) influence of elevated foliar Mn on the quantity and chemical composition of organic C released during litter decomposition; (3) influence of Mn oxides on the storage or transformation of organic matter. Results will be integrated into a quantitative framework describing Mn-C interactions in plant-soil systems and lay the groundwork for future exploration of manganese biogeochemistry and coupled metal-organic interactions.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Status | Finished |
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Effective start/end date | 06/1/18 → 12/31/19 |
Funding
- National Science Foundation