Soil Biogeochemistry: Carbon Cycling and Redox Reactions

This lecture explores the role of soils in the global carbon cycle, emphasizing the exchange fluxes with the atmosphere and the impact of soil processes on climate change. It delves into the kinetics and thermodynamics of iron reduction, manganese redox reactions, and the drivers of organic carbon stabilization in Alpine soils. The instructor discusses the uncertainties in the soil carbon sink and the importance of redox reactions in providing energy for life. The lecture concludes by highlighting the redox and energetic constraints in soil biogeochemistry, emphasizing the critical role of soils in food supply, biodiversity conservation, and climate change mitigation.