I was lucky to be involved in many projects covering a wide range of topics, from climate change effects on C and nutrient cycling to microbial community dynamics. I am also involved in projects regarding method development. Here below a list of the main projects I have been working on.
Current main projects
ClimGrass
Grassland carbon dynamics in a changing climate
Main participants: Michael Bahn (PI), Andreas Richter (PI), Wolfgang Wanek (PI), Alberto Canarini (Collaborator) and many others
In this project we used a unique experiment manipulating multiple climate change factors (warming, elevated CO2 and drought) at multiple levels. The climate change manipulations started in 2014 and since then we carried multiple projects investiganting: microbial growth, nutrient cycles, plant C transfer, GHG emissions etc.
Root endophytes
Carbon and nitrogen trading between plant and endophytes
Main participants: Alberto Canarin (PI), Hirokazu Toju (Co-PI), Toby Kiers (Co-PI), Jinsen Zheng (Collaborator) and many others
In this project we evaluated the Carbon to Nitrogen dynamics between plant and root endophytes. Root endophytes can devliver nutrients to plants and obtain Carbon, similarly to mycorrhizal symbiosis. However they are underinvestigated. In this project we used a combination of stable isotope, pure culture and transcriptomic, to reveal dynamics of C to N exchagen and the genetic controls. This Project was merged with a Human Frontiers Science Project obtained from Toby Kiers and Hirokazu Toju (link in the buttons).
Fertilization experiment
Long-term nutrient deficiency
Main participants: Andreas Richter (PI), Alberto Canarini (Collaborator) and many others
In this project we used a unique experiment manipulating multiple fertilization level (N, P, K and manure) spanning 70 years. In this project we investigate the effects of such long-term nutrient fertilization on the microbial community and nutrient cycling. See in the buttons above two abstract presented from a PhD student (Kian Jenab) working on the arbuscular mycorrhizae part of the project.
Drought and functional plants
Differences between dominant and subordinate species response to drought
Main participants: Pierre Mariotte (PI), Barbara Drigo (PI), Yolima Carrillo (PI), Alberto Canarini (Collaborator), Raul Ochoa-Hueso (Collaborator) and many others
In this project we used two field drought sites, with similar species composition, to assess differential response to drought between a dominant (Paspalum dilatatum) and subordinate (Cynodon dactylon) species. Subordinate species can outperform dominant species during stress period, and preliminary results (PAPER button) indicated a possible involvement on arbuscular mycorrhiza. We isolated the two species and subjected them to 13C and 15N labelling to trace dynamics of C and N cycling between plants and soil microbes.
Current collaborations
Drought effects on grassland productivity and carbon cycling in the swiss alps
Main participants: Ansgar Kahmen (PI), Marie-Louise Schärer (PhD student), Alberto Canarini (Collaborator) and many others
Amazon Imbalance P
Main participants: Lucia Fuchslueger (PI), Alberto Canarini (Collaborator) and many others
I have been collaborating to this project investigating the role of microorganisms for the phosphorous cycle in the Amazon forest
Cecropia Ants
Main participants: Veronika Mayer (PI), Alberto Canarini (Collaborator) and many others
Nutrient recycling in tropical ant-plant mutualism. I have collaborating to this project to investigate the feeding strategies of two different cecropia ants feeding on microorganisms.