Christina Harris - CoC Seminar and Panel Session

Abstract: Soil carbon represents a critical asset in the transition of Australian agricultural industries toward climate-resilient systems. This research investigates the mechanisms linking soil organic carbon fractions particulate organic carbon (POC) and mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC) with the ecology and functional traits of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). Focusing on remnant grass and cereal cropping soils under contrasting tillage regimes, the study combines field sampling, assessment of soil condition changes, AM fungal community profiling, and a spectral approach for quantifying glomalin-related soil protein (GRSP) and its role in soil aggregation. By understanding soil-carbon-fungal interactions, this study will aim to identify leverage points for influencing soil carbon storage in cropping systems. Furthermore, by grounding pedogenon concepts in a refined digital soil mapping protocol, it will produce spatial predictions of carbon-fungal beneficial associations, forming the basis of evidence-based management strategies. Outcomes are expected to demonstrate that low- or no-tillage regimes, coupled with conditions that support diverse and productive AM fungal communities, will correspond with better soil structure and carbon persistence. The research thesis offers a `proof of concept’ for the preliminary mapping of regional-scale ecological functions while contributing meaningful insights for soil carbon gains on-farm, culminating in the advancements of pathways to secure carbon stock and adopt climate-smart agriculture in Australia.

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