Role of soil faunal diversity in agroecosystems to foster sustainable agriculture and circular economy

The project aims to fill gaps in knowledge about the diversity of soil micro- and mesofauna in experimental fields amended with forest derived organic side-streams from industry (zero fiber, composted and lime-stabilized fiber sludge) or biochar and in agroforestry field. We will hypothesize that woody crop planst and forest-based organic amendments used as management practices affect the diversity of soil fauna via “fungal energy channels” to prevent nutrient leaching and improve carbon retention promoting sustainable agriculture. Soil fauna is identified from DNA and RNA isolated directly from an environmental sample by utilizing the latest state-in-art sequencing techniques of metabarcoding and transcriptomics. New information can be applied in future biodiversity studies and food web modeling. At the same time project adds knowledge on how management practices that utilize forest-based recycled amendments and agroforestry could promote circular economy and security of supply. Research will be conducted at Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) in collaboration with Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre in Germany and University of Leiden in the Netherlands.