The soil carbon pool is 3.3 times larger than the atmospheric pool, and soil contains 80% of the carbon found in terrestrial ecosystems (Lal, 2004). Soil carbon sequestration is strongly influenced by nitrogen dynamics. Therefore, understanding carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) dynamics in soils is crucial not only for enhancing crop productivity but also for mitigating climate change, improving ecosystem management, and promoting a green transition in agriculture (Batlle-Aguilar et al., 2011).

Soil can act as both a source and a sink of carbon, depending on factors such as land use, management practices, and climate change. Soil productivity is affected by global changes such as climate and land-use change. Understanding how these changes influence soil C and N processes is crucial for sustainable management. Alterations in atmospheric CO₂ levels, temperature, and moisture conditions influence C and N dynamics, affecting both above- and belowground ecosystem processes. Assessing greenhouse gas emissions and nitrogen fluxes from soil is essential for climate and nitrogen regulation in food production as part of agriculture’s green transition.

In this project we will use isotope techniques to study the biogeochemical cycling of carbon and nitrogen in soil. This includes mapping C and N cycling in agricultural landscapes, assessing nitrous oxide emissions, tracking ecosystem C and N stock changes, and studying nitrate leaching into streams and groundwater. Coupling C and N isotopes offer new insights into their interconnected roles in biogeochemical cycles (Batlle-Aguilar et al., 2011; Tiunov, 2007).