Research team

Expertise

I have PhD in Ecology, Environmental Science and Plant Physiology by the University of Barcelona (Spain) defended on July 2018. The PhD thesis was entilted "Responses of Mediterranean riparian forests to water availability: Insights of present and future conditions. A case study in La Tordera catchment ". My current research is focused on soil carbon and nitrogen biogeochemistry, soil greenhouse gas emissions and microbial communities that produce them.

The combined effect of earthworms and enhanced silicate weathering for reducing atmospheric CO2 and N2O concentrations. 01/04/2021 - 31/03/2022

Abstract

Climate change is one of the most pressing environmental and societal issues that humanity faces. Safe and scalable negative emission technologies (NETs), which actively remove CO2 from the atmosphere and ensure long-term sequestration are urgently needed. Among them, enhanced weathering of silicate minerals (EW), has been recently suggested as a promising NETs. Moreover, earthworms are considered important ecosystem engineers in terrestrial ecosystems and their activity in the soil might accelerate soil carbon (C) sequestration through EW. Yet, earthworms are well known to enhance soil nitrogen (N) processes and, thus, increase soil N2O emissions to the atmosphere. This proposal aims to study the combined effect of earthworms activity on the soil and EW processes by testing whether earthworms can enhance the soil C sequestration through EW, at the same time that EW can mitigate the high amount of soil N2O emissions that are promoted by earthworms activity on arable soils. The project will measure C sequestration, N2O emissions and microbial communities from different mesocosms with or without silicate amendments and earthworms. This project will be an important first step in the establishing of a new research line of high scientific as well as societal significance.

Researcher(s)

Research team(s)

Project type(s)

  • Research Project

Towards a minimization of agricultural greenhouse gas emissions while ensuring crop production. 01/09/2020 - 30/09/2022

Abstract

The anthropogenic increase of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions into the atmosphere is promoting and accelerating climate warming. Among anthropogenic activities contributing to GHG emissions, agricultural soils emit ~12% of the global emission. The high amounts of nitrogen (N) added as fertilizer enhance soil N cycling and N2O emissions (representing >60% of global N2O emissions), and soil respiration (~20% of global CO2 emissions). Arable lands cover ~11% of the terrestrial surface, the modification of traditional agricultural practices is a key opportunity to reduce GHG emissions without compromising food and soil security. Recent studies have proposed agricultural management practices (e.g. biochar or silicate applications) to mitigate GHG emission, by enhancing soil organic C sequestration and promoting complete denitrification while maintaining crop productivity. Yet, there are still many uncertainties regarding the magnitude and variability of soil GHG emissions using these practices, reaching contradictory results concerning the potential role of agricultural soils as sinks or sources of C and N to the atmosphere. Moreover, little is known about how these practices can affect the soil microbial community responsible for GHG formation, and modifying the role of the soil sink/source behavior. The main goal of the project "Towards a minimization of the agricultural greenhouse gas emissions while ensuring crop production" (Acronym MAGIC) is to search for the practice where GHG emissions comprise the lowest global warming potential without compromising crop yields. Moreover, MAGIC aims to use concrete demolition, an artificial silicate, and thus, enhance material re-use and circular economy. To achieve this objective, a crop mesocosm field experiment will be set up applying different agricultural management treatments. Responses on GHG emissions, soil N transformation and soil microbial communities will be followed over a year. Overall, this project will generate valuable scientific results that will be of interest for national, European and global strategic actions in agricultural systems.

Researcher(s)

Research team(s)

Project type(s)

  • Research Project