Onder het Maaiveld is een driejarig programma van IUCN NL, De Vlinderstichting, NIOO-KNAW, WUR en het Centrum voor Bodemecologie. Samen met andere organisaties werken wij aan een structurele verandering in de omgang met onze waardevolle bodem. Ons doel? Herstel van het bodemleven in Nederland, als basis voor een gezonde natuur en een gezonde maatschappij.

SoilProS will interpret big data on soil biodiversity, soil chemical and physical characteristics with respect to current and desired soil functions, and how to use this information in order to help farmers predicting which crop varieties, seed mixtures, (organic) fertilizers, soil inocula, and organic substrates enhance the environmental sustainability of their activities.

Stikstofdepositie en klimaatverandering leiden tot bodemverzuring en verdroging. Hierdoor neemt de vitaliteit van bossen sterk af. In dit project wordt geprobeerd de bossen in Het Nationale Park De Hoge Veluwe te revitaliseren.

Linking Ecology, Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics in plant epigenetic research

This project is a component of the EpiDiverse MSCA-ITN European training network. DNA methylation variants can arise spontaneously, they can be under genetic control or they can be induced by environments. In plants, some DNA methylation variants are stable across many generations whereas other variants are very transient. A good understanding of the transgenerational dynamics of DNA methylation variants is essential to understand their impact on heritable traits and their effect on adaptation.

This project is a component of the EpiDiverse MSCA-ITN European training network. In long-lived sessile organisms such as trees, phenotypic plasticity is an important requirement for successful persistence in changing or variable environments. Epigenetic mechanisms have the potential to mediate long-term plastic responses to environmental change. However, the importance of epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation as regulators of adaptive plasticity is not well known.

Through association with beneficial bacteria and fungi, plants can express increased growth via improved nutrient uptake, disease resistance, and abiotic stress tolerance.

Urban environments are ever expanding and differ markedly from natural and rural ecosystems. Cities are good test cases for the adaptive capacity of plants and animals in a rapidly changing world.

Through association with beneficial bacteria and fungi, plants can express increased growth via improved nutrient uptake, disease resistance, and abiotic stress tolerance. Such microbe-mediated plant traits could be important for ecological adaptation and crop improvement, but natural or artificial selection can only shape these traits if genetic variation exists

Billions of microorganisms live and die in the soil beneath our feet, affecting soil carbon storage and its release to the atmosphere. This project investigates how viruses drive bacterial death and the fate of bacterial remains, to better understand how soil can contribute to maintaining a healthy climate.