The Forest Soils Laboratory is a research and
teaching program that focuses on soil and tree interactions.
Topics that the program covers range from forest fertilization,
tree nutrition, nutrient biogeochemical cycling in the forest
environment, off-site effects of forest management, forested
wetlands issues, tropical soils and soil nutrient bioavailability.
Most recently the research is addressing the processes and valuation
of soil environmental services. More specifically our students
are working on soil carbon sequestration (Florida and Colombia),
soil aggregate formation (Florida) and phosphorus bioavailability
as a function of litter chemical diversity (Brazil).
The overall objective of the program is to work within the
state, the regional, the nation and internationally to better
understand forest soil processes; with the goal of using this
knowledge to benefit the people of the state of Florida. In
addition to the research, the teaching program seeks to better
educate graduate students on the processes of soil nutrient
bioavailability, and frame a variety of soil functions in the
context of ecosystem services.
Internationally the program has close connections with Brazil
and Colombia, which is often evident in the make up of its graduate
students and visiting scholars.
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