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Project title

ICONICA

Primary Funding Agency

DAFM

Co-Funding Organisation(s)

n/a

Lead Organisation

Teagasc

Lead Applicant

n/a

Project Abstract

The EU Green Deal through the Farm to Fork and Biodiversity 2030 strategies aims to make Europe a climate-neutral continent by 2050 while ensuring food security. Achieving this ambitious objective will require the adoption of sustainable agricultural soil management practices. Management of agro-ecosystems to enhance both soil and subsoil organic carbon (SOC) storage could potentially be a strategy to mitigate climate change by reducing increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration. However, long-term SOC storage is dependent on many factors, especially the interactions with other nutrients. The coupled Carbon-Nitrogen-Phosphorus cycles mediates soil organic matter formation and turnover. Varying P level impacts on microbial composition and activities, which are predicted to control specific transformation pathways within the C and N cycles in soil influencing the stabilisation of GHG emissions, SOC and nutrients. A number of long term P experiments in the EU and New Zealand will be utilised to investigate soil P availability on SOC sequestration and GHG emissions and CN cycling in soils. ICONICA seeks to quantify the effect of P availability on soil C sequestration, N cycling, GHG emissions and associated soil microbial processes within managed grassland and arable systems in order to identify mechanisms for SOC and N sequestration. Data generated by ICONICA will be used to identify optimal soil P levels for SOC sequestration, minimizing GHG emissions, while maintaining crop yields from various agricultural soils. An improved understanding of soil P availability on soil C and N storage, and cycling mechanisms, will provide knowledge for improving soil management practices aimed at increasing carbon sequestration and reducing GHG emissions. The project will identify the optimal soil P level to optimise SOC accumulation, GHGs and crop yields.

Grant Approved

�1,364,000.00

Research Hub

n/a

Research Theme

Carbon Stocks, GHG Emissions, Sinks and Management Options

Start Date

�01/04/2022

Initial Projected Completion Date

31/03/2025