Denitrification in agricultural soils : integrated control and modelling at various scales (DASIM)

Abstract

The special issue summarises and highlights key findings of the research unit DASIM funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) on the process of denitrification. Progress was made in several areas including the development of new and advanced methods to quantify N2 fluxes such as a new 15N gas flux method, enhanced Raman spectroscopy and a new incubation system to study plant-soil interactions in He-O2 atmosphere. Understanding of denitrification in disturbed and structured soil was gained by combining X-ray CT scanning and microbial ecology methods. High resolution models developed as part of DASIM were able to successfully simulate experimental data and provide valuable insights for the improvement of existing ecosystem models. Improved 15N tracing tools for the analysis of 15N tracing data in soil-plant systems have been developed that are extensively used by associated partners. DASIM brought together an interdisciplinary network of researchers interested in analytical but also modelling aspects. This includes close collaboration with the FAO/IAEA centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture of the United Nations which resulted in an open access book that describes the methods used in DASIM. The impact of the DASIM research unit on the scientific community is manifold and will most likely have a lasting impact on the understanding of nitrogen cycling in terrestrial ecosystems.