Thu, June 20, 2019 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM See description. Join Dr. Jean-Thomas Cornelis for his research seminar "Bridging soil processes and plant-microbiome interactions as a new framework for sustainable food systems: the example of silicon biogeochemistry."
Sustainable agriculture practices rely on the understanding of soil processes and associated soil-plant interactions in landscapes impacted by natural and anthropogenic changes. The silicon (Si) cycle interplays with CO2-driven climate change and can play a pivotal role in the food production resilience to environmental changes. While the Si cycle was long seen as being geologically driven, recent research advances revealed a strong biological imprint. Soil-plant interactions govern the terrestrial Si cycle through plant-induced silicate weathering combined to Si biocycling and the return of highly soluble plant-derived Si to the topsoil. By converting inorganic Si into plant-derived Si through soil weathering and Si uptake, plants affect Si mobility in terrestrial ecosystems. Here, we will discuss soil processes governing the interactions between the mineral and biological parts of the Si cycle in the context of global challenges we are facing: to promote climate-smart and environmentally friendly agro-ecosystems that meet food demand.
This seminar is part of a Cluster Hire in LFS Applied Biology, Sustainable Agriculture and the Environment, and CSFS at UBC Farm.