National Research and Initiative (NRI) Projects

Projects funded by NIFA National Research Initiative (NRI) are improving our understanding of soil processes, such as adsorption, microbial degradation and transformation, water flow and retention, air and gas fluxes, oxidation and reduction, and transport of solid and dissolved material. These processes play an essential role in maintaining life on this planet. Here are some results of research projects in this area.

• Microbial Community Structure in Relation to Organic and Conventionally Farmed Desert Soils.
• Understanding Elemental Distributions and Associations in Soils and Model Systems.
• Effect of Colloids on Virus Survival and Transport in Porous Media.
• New Thermodielectric Method to Determine Soil Specific Surface Area and Bound Water.
• Microscale Nitrogen and Carbon Cycling in Biological Deserts Crusts.
• Response of fine root chemistry to elevated CO2 & O3: Implications for soil carbon cycling and storage.
• The Physiology and Ecology of N2O Production and CH4 Consumption by Ammonia- and Methane-oxidizing Bacteria in Agricultural Soils.

Selected other funded NRI projects have developed tools, models, and appropriate management practices for increased agricultural productivity and improved environmental health. New and improved tools are continually enhancing our ability to maintain and improve environmental and ecosystem health while increasing productivity and/or economic yield from our soils. The following are examples of research projects in this area.

• Ground-Penetrating Radar: Development of a Vineyard Management Tool.
• Identification of Estrogen Biodegradation Pathways and Their Microbial Origin Using Soil Metagenomics and Phylogenetic Anchors. Related article available.
• Effects of Logging and Prescribed Burning on the Ectomycorrhizal Fungal Community Associated with Abies concolor.
• Phosphate Retention in Mixed Mineral Systems as Affected by Redox Potential. NRI Cover Story available.

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