SmartResidue

Project 2019–2023
Sampling compost

Details

Department
Microbial Ecology
Funding
NWO-TTW Open Technology Program

Methane is a potent greenhouse gas and does not only account for up to 17% of global warming but also is a key target in climate change mitigation actions. Agricultural soils have always been regarded as a very weak sink or a source of methane. However, recent research by the Bodelier group has shown that under laboratory conditions, these soils are capable of (circum-)atmospheric methane uptake after the application of bio-based residues - especially compost. The mechanisms of this residue-stimulated uptake of methane are as yet unknown and are the subject of this project. The project focuses to a large degree on compost and the microbes in there, which seems to be partly responsible for the observed stimulation. We cooperate closely with a number of companies and aim at product development (e.g. engineered compost) for contributing to more climate-friendly agricultural soils.

 

Workpackages
Paul Bodelier
Smartresidue workpackages

Important external project members:

Companies and institutions in this NWO-TTW project's user committee are:

  • Bioclear Earth B.V.
  • Natural Soil Improvement B.V.
  • Vereniging Afvalbedrijven (VA)
  • WUR; Wageningen Plant Research; Akkerbouw, Groene ruimte en Vollegrondsgroenten (AGV)
Methane flux measurements in Zurich.
Paul Bodelier
Methane flux measurements in Switzerland
Sampling of Compost
Stijn van den Bergh
Sampling of compost

Details

Department
Microbial Ecology
Funding
NWO-TTW Open Technology Program

Experts

  • Compost engineering
  • Climate change mitigation
  • Climate smart agriculture