SHIFTING PRECIPITATION PATTERNS IN THE U.S. MIDWEST AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON SOIL HEALTH

The major goals of the project are as following:1) Todocument the precipitation-induced changes in multiple soil healthindicators along with other key biological and physical soil characteristics. We will concentrateon the indicators currently recommended as the ones most feasible to measure and most sensitiveto management differences, including, but not limited to, soil field capacity, aggregate stability,soil organic C, and potential C mineralization. We willalso measure microbial community properties likely to influence C cycling, like carbon useefficiencyand enzyme activities.2) To elucidate the mechanisms driving the changes in these soilhealth indicators under shifting precipitation patterns. We will specifically focus on theinteractions between soil structure (via its pore architecture components) and soil C protectionand gains, which by-and-large enable health of the soils in the studied region.