Microbial Controls on Soil Organic Matter Temperature Sensitivity

The Institute for Advanced Studies (IAS) at UM6P, in collaboration with the College of Agriculture & Environmental Sciences (CAES), is pleased to host a seminar by Prof. Bill Riley, Senior Scientist in the Climate and Ecosystem Sciences Division at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (USA).

Accurate projections of terrestrial carbon balances require a better understanding of soil organic matter decomposition and its response to temperature. This seminar will explore how microbial biomass dynamics and substrate availability can influence the interpretation of laboratory incubation experiments, often leading to biased estimates of temperature sensitivity.

Drawing on the microbe-explicit ecosystem model ecosys, Prof. Riley will discuss synthetic incubation experiments across different soil depths, temperature ranges, and incubation durations. The presentation will highlight how specific respiration measurements can improve estimates of activation energy and support more accurate carbon cycle modeling.

By connecting soil microbial dynamics, biogeochemistry, and climate modeling, this seminar offers valuable insights into the processes shaping soil carbon responses under changing environmental conditions.

The seminar will take place on June 24, 2026, at 10:30 AM, in TC-G-16, Teaching Center, UM6P Campus Benguerir.