This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).
Soil pH (acidity) has a major influence on soil fertility, and therefore the structure and function of ecosystems. The availability of phosphorous (P), in particular, is highly controlled by soil pH. Both natural processes and human-induced disturbance, such as acid rain, have resulted in acidification of some ecosystems. Soil acidification can lead subsequently to a decrease in phosphorous (P) availability to eastern hardwood forests. However, to date there has not been evidence of P limitation in these forests, whether as a result of natural or anthropogenic acidification. This research is focused on testing the hypothesis that while available P may be reduced by soil acidification, P limitation to plants is ameliorated by microorganisms that are able to liberate P that is normally unavailable to plants, thereby masking P limitation to trees. To test this hypothesis, lime, P, or both will be added to two forests in eastern Ohio to determine if soil acidity or P availability can actually change soil microbial communities and their ability to produce plant-available P.
This research addresses the potential consequences of human activities and the way forest and soil ecosystems may respond to acidification. This project will be used as a teaching tool for undergraduate and high school students in the Appalachian region of southeast Ohio, and a series of collaborative workshops will facilitate the training of K-12 teachers on the importance of soil processes in relation to human prosperity.
