The MultiSol project set out to make a step to putting soil multifunctionality research on a more explicitly mechanistic footing, by developing an improved measurement framework and protocols and by integrating stoichiometric relations in plant-microbe-soil interactions as a key regulator of soil processes and thus functioning and health. In addition, the key career goal was to gain experience in leading projects and the project team.
A key outcome at the end of the project is that the concept of latent variable modelling was operationalized for quantification of soil multifunctionality, focussing on primary production, climate and water regulation and habitat for biodiversity. We developed a comprehensive methodology, including practical experimental setup, internal and external benchmarks, and the subsequent statistical processing, The resulting paper is currently in press with the highly respected academic interdisciplinary journal SOIL and already availble as a pre-print at EGUsphere.
In addition, the project principal investigator (PI) interacted with several other projects (SoilProS, WeDNA, SOB4ES, SOLO), resulting in several joint publications, both published and in preparation (ONE Earth, PLOS Comp. Biol., ISME Communications). In the course of the project the PI (co-)supervised 2 postdocs, 4 PhD candidates, and 11 students at undergraduate and MSc levels and started to develop his own research group and vision and could develop research as well as leadership, networking and negotiation skills.
The project terminated early, due to prolonged illness of the PI and, upon recovery, new employment at a university of applied science. This means parts of the workplan could not be executed, but they remain on the research vision of the PI and will hopefully land in future projects and grant proposals that will be developed in his new employment position.
