Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture

Current Competitive Grant

Understanding soil organic matter change: modeling root and soil interactions across agricultural landscapes

Project ID: E2012-11

This 2-year grant for $69,452 was awarded in 2012.

Location: Boone, Story counties

The research team aims to quantify spatial variability in root traits associated with three cropping systems (continuous corn, triticale/sorghum and perennial switchgrass), and predict changes in soil carbon pools by modeling the interactions among roots and soil characteristics. Investigators plan to use the knowledge to help farming strategies that keep living roots in the ground and contribute to increased soil organic matter, increased carbon sequestration and reduced erosion. The project is part of the larger Landscape Biomass Project which focuses on the development of environmentally and economically viable biomass cropping systems.

Cynthia Cambardella

Cynthia Cambardella Cynthia (Cindy) Cambardella is a soil scientist with the USDA-ARS at the National Laboratory for Agriculture and the Environment in Ames. She grew up in Maryland, earned her B.S. in Microbiology and Chemistry from the University of Maryland at College Park and her Ph.D in Soil Science and Ecology from Colorado State University. Cindy’s research examines the interrelationships among plant roots, soil organic matter, soil structure and the cycling of C and N in natural and managed ecosystems. [Contact lead investigator]

Co-Investigator(s):

Todd Ontl and Lisa Schulte-Moore, ISU Natural Resource Ecology and Management; and Randall Kolka, USDA Forest Service-Northern Research Station.


This competitive grant project is part of the Leopold Center's Ecology Initiative.

Topics: Farming systems, Soils and agronomy