MicroVOCs Objectives

MicroVOCs studies the relationships between microbial volatile organic compounds (VOCs), nitrous oxide emissions and nitrogen cycling in Irish soils. We aim to determine how VOCs affect soil nitrogen cycling by inhibiting the activity of key nitrogen cycling groups and by affecting microbial competition in the soil.  By characterising these relationships, the MicroVOCs project aims to reduce uncertainty in predicting nitrous oxide emissions from agricultural soils, opening new ways to reduce greenhouse gases from Irish agriculture. 

In addition to our central objectives, we are also investigating how soil amendments affect VOCs, nitrous oxide and nitrogen pools in soil. 

MicroVOCs Methodology

MicroVOCs is using soil microcosm incubations to test the effect of different VOCs on microbial activity and greenhouse gas production in soil. We are combining nitrogen pool and soil carbon determinations using colourimetric approaches with state-of-the-art analytical determination of VOCs using thermal-desorption gas chromatography - mass spectrometry, and gas chromatography for the determination of nitrous oxide. Microbial activity is being studied using quantitative PCR determination of N-cycling genes. Microbial diversity will be analysed using amplicon sequencing of 16S rRNA genes, while metatranscriptomics will be used to determine how VOCs impact microbial gene expression at the community level. Mechanistic and machine learning approaches will be used to model the relationships between VOCs, microbial communities, soil properties and nitrous oxide emissions.