Danish agricultural soils are declining carbon content which can affect the soil quality and fertility. In agricultural soils receiving very different organic carbon input (from none to low input) and traditional versus limited N, P and K fertilization, the organic carbon content will be compared with the size, activity and diversity of the microbial communities will be studied. This will also be compared with data from agricultural systems receiving high input of organic carbon. Special focus will be on nitrogen and phosphate cycling enzymatic activity and microbial diversity.

Supervisor: Anne Winding (senior scientist) (aw@envs.au.dk)