Keiser Lab Publishes Research on Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Cycles

New collaborative research by Ashley Keiser demonstrates the role of soil carbon as a gatekeeper of the nitrogen mineralization and nitrification processes. During the decomposition of biomaterial into nutrients, nitrogen mineralization and nitrification processes make ammonium and nitrate available to plants across divergent ecosystems.

The study, published in Biogeochemistry Letters, was highlighted by the Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) Network. The LTER Network is funded by the National Science Foundation and supports ecological research across 28 sites.

Keiser's work spanned 14 terrestrial LTER sites from varying climates, including the Arctic, the Everglades, urban ecosystems, Southwestern deserts, and Northeastern forests, seeking common patterns.

Despite differences across sites, the data showed that soil carbon had the strongest influence over nitrogen transformations.

"The link between carbon and nitrogen comes down to organismal demand for certain nutrients," says Dr. Keiser. "Now, we can use the pattern demonstrated at a large scale to ask new questions that peel back more layers."

This research demonstrates the direct impact of soil carbon on soil nitrogen availability as well as potential losses via leaching to aquatic systems or as the potent greenhouse gas nitrous oxide.

Because UMass is a research institution, all Stockbridge faculty are required to actively conduct and publish research, keeping our classes at the vanguard of our field's rapidly emerging knowledge.