Nearly $250,000 in funding has been secured by a Lethbridge Polytechnic instructor and researcher.
Agriculture Sciences instructor and a scientific lead Dr. Adriana Morrell also received a $15,000 Centre for Applied Research Internal Fund grant last year. The new funding is through Alberta Innovates to support a multi-year research project aimed at bridging a gap in traditional land reclamation efforts by focusing on the role of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi or AMF.
AMF can be found naturally in soils and are associated with 80 per cent of plants around the world. The fungi establish a symbiotic relationship with plants, expanding through the soil and beyond the reach of the plant’s root system to transfer water and nutrients back to its host. The plant, in turn, provides complex carbohydrates for the fungi to survive.
“Microorganisms move and transform everything underground, facilitating nutrients and water acquisition – which are essential for growth and optimal plant development,” says Morrell. “Yet we often don’t know much about the health status of soils from a biological point of view or how microbial communities are responding to different management practices.”
She adds traditional methods of land reclamation, such as seeding, monitoring and controlling invasive species to favour native species are important, but they miss a critical piece of studying and harnessing the power of soil biology to ensure better plant establishment and long-term restoration success.
Morrell’s research spans four years, allowing for a comprehensive assessment of restoration efforts with her team tracking changes in soil microbial communities, soil health and plant establishment from initial stages to maturity.
This research will provide valuable insights into the long-term sustainability of restoration efforts and inform adaptive management strategies, ultimately contributing to the conservation of biodiversity and environmental services in grassland ecosystems.
If her project is successful, Morrell hopes it will help retain carbon in the soil, prevent further erosion and enhance the health of the soil while restoring sites currently struggling to survive on their own.
