Research Projects

Different parts of the world including Bundelkhand region of Central India experienced extreme climate events that are devastating to ecological and sociological integrity. The study aims to investigate the effect of prolonged high temperature and low moisture conditions on the mineral soil carbon pools and sustainable management of dryland soil for enhancing carbon sequestration. The study will be carried out in the Bundelkhand region of the Central India. This study is based on the hypothesis that the sensitivity of sOM fractions (POM and MAOM) may vary with the ecosystem and durations of extreme climate events. The objectives of this study are to assess the mineral soil carbon pool in different soils of Bundelkhand region of India, analyze the sensitivity of soil organic matter fractions to increased temperature and drought conditions, and to develop land management strategies to protect and enhance organic carbon pools in dryland soils. The differential response of the sOM faction may reveal the mechanism controlling the stability of carbon pools. The proposed investigation may provide insight into the responses of different carbon pools to extreme climates under varying simulated conditions. Moreover, this study will be useful in developing strategies to protect soil carbon pools under different extreme climate events in dry lands.