I am interested in microbial transformations of organic carbon and plant nutrients in soil, what governs these processes, and how they might be manipulated to benefit sustainable agriculture. My background is in chemistry, biochemistry and sustainability science, with PhD research in soil organic matter dynamics.

At NIOO I am investigating how viruses shape bacterial communities and redirect carbon and plant nutrients between plants, soil and atmosphere. I was recently awarded an NWO Veni grant to study the role of soil bacteriophages in bacterial death and carbon stabilization.

CV in brief

Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands

Position: Junior group leader

Project: Small but deadly: Soil bacteriophages as key drivers of bacterial death and carbon stabilization (NWO Veni award)

Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands

Position: Post doctoral researcher, 2018-2021

Project: Vital Soils for Sustainable Intensification of Agriculture

Department of Agricultural Soil Science, University of Goettingen, Germany

Position: PhD candidate, 2015-2018

Thesis title: Microbial response to glucose: mechanisms for soil organic matter decomposition and nutrient mobilisation in the early stages of rhizosphere priming

Supervisors: Michaela A. Dippold and Yakov Kuzyakov

The Green House, Cape Town, South Africa

Position: Sustainability consultant and senior sustainability consultant, 2010 - 2014

Roles: Performing and supervising desktop and primary environmental and sustainability research for clients in industry, agriculture, government and NGO sectors

Links

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Vital Soils for Sustainable Intensification of Agriculture

 

Microbial storage compounds: A neglected dimension of soil C cycling

 

Spatiotemporal distribution of mucilage: visualization, quantification and its influence on the organization of rhizomicrobial functions

Mason-Jones, K., Robinson, S.L., Veen, G.F., Manzoni, S., van der Putten, W.H. 2021. Microbial storage and its implications for soil ecology. The ISME Journal.

 

Manzoni, S., Ding, Y., Warren, C., Banfield, C.C., Dippold, M.A., Mason-Jones, K., 2021. Intracellular storage reduces stoichiometric imbalances in soil microbial biomass – A theoretical exploration. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 9, 714134.

 

Wei, X., Ge, T., Wu, C., Wang, S., Mason-Jones, K., Li, Y., Zhu, Z., Hu, Y., Liang, C., Shen, J., Wu, J., Kuzyakov, Y. 2021. T4-like phages reveal the potential role of viruses in soil organic matter mineralization. Environmental Science & Technology, 55, 6440–6448.

 

Nazari, M., Riebeling, S., Banfield, C.C., Akale, A., Crosta, M., Mason-Jones, K., Dippold, M.A., Ahmed, M.A. 2020. Mucilage polysaccharide composition and exudation in maize from contrasting climatic regions. Frontiers in Plant Science, 11, 587610.

 

Mason-Jones, K., Vrehen, P, Koper, K., Wang, J., van der Putten, W.H., Veen, G.F. 2020. Short-term temperature history affects mineralization of fresh litter and extant soil organic matter, irrespective of agricultural management. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 150, 107985.

Open data: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4125709

 

Ma, X., Mason-Jones, K., Liu, Y., Blagodatskaya, E., Kuzyakov, Y., Guber, A., Dippold, M.A., Razavi, B., 2019. Coupling zymography with pH mapping reveals a shift in lupine phosphorus acquisition strategy driven by cluster roots. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 135, 420-428.

 

Tian, P., Mason-Jones, K., Liu, S., Wang, Q., Sun, T. 2019. Form of nitrogen deposition affects soil organic matter priming by glucose and cellulose. Biology and Fertility of Soils, 55, 383–391.

 

Mason-Jones, K., Banfield, C.C., Dippold, M.A., 2019. Compound-specific 13C stable isotope probing confirms synthesis of polyhydroxybutyrate by soil bacteria. Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry, 33, 795-802.

 

Kuzyakov, Y., Mason-Jones, K., 2018. Viruses in soil: Nano-scale undead drivers of microbial life, biogeochemical
turnover and ecosystem functions. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 127, 305-317.

 

Mason-Jones, K., Schmücker, N., Kuzyakov, Y. 2018. Contrasting effects of organic and mineral nitrogen challenge the N-Mining Hypothesis for soil organic matter priming. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 124, 38-46.

Open data: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1131349

 

Ahmed, M. A., Sanaullah, M., Blagodatskaya, E., Mason-Jones, K., Kuzyakov, Y., Dippold, M.A. 2018. Soil microorganisms exhibit enzymatic and priming response to root mucilage under drought. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 116, 410-418.

 

Mason-Jones, K. and Kuzyakov, Y. 2017. “Non-metabolizable” glucose analogue shines new light on priming mechanisms: Triggering of microbial metabolism. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 107, 68-76.

Open data: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1146786

 

Mason-Jones, K., Gilmullina, A. and Kuzyakov, Y. 2017. Mineralization of ‘‘non-metabolizable’’ glucose analogues in soil: potential chemosensory mimics of glucose. Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science, 180, 165-168.