Microorganisms have a central role in soil biogeochemical processes. Essential functions include nutrient cycling, controlling greenhouse gas fluxes and supporting crop productivity. Soil is one of the most diverse habitats in the biosphere. High throughput sequencing has enabled characterisation of microbial communities, and determination of drivers such as climate and land use are well underway. However, we are only beginning to recognise the scale of viral diversity in soil, and importantly, the impacts of virus-host interactions on key soil biogeochemical cycles and subsequent functional consequences on ecosystems are unknown. Viruses have a range of life strategies, including infection and lysis of host cells or integration followed by lysis, facilitating horizontal transfer of genes and augmentation of function. When a host is lysed, cell contents are released into the labile organic matter pool. In marine systems, 40% of prokaryotes are lysed per day, releasing 150 Gt carbon per annum. However, there is a paucity of information about the impact of top-down control by viruses on soil populations nor the scale of the viral shunt of nutrients. It is likely that viruses have a major impact on microbial diversity and nutrient cycling, with consequences for ecosystem processes. Here we propose a research programme that not only aims to characterise active viral communities in situ, but advances the state-of-the-art by identifying actual impacts of viruses on selected key biogeochemical processes. Specifically, using a series of soil microcosm incubations utilising 13C stable isotope analysis, high throughput metagenomic and metatranscriptomic approaches, in combination with measurements of soil N and C fluxes, we will characterise, for the first time, active viruses together with direct measurements of their impact on biogeochemical cycles.
Project ID
Funding period
1 September 2022 - 31 August 2024EU contribution
Funding programme
Call for proposals
Type of action
Project contribution to Mission Soil’s:
Specific objectives
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1. Reduce land degradation relating to desertification
Not targeted -
2. Conserve and increase soil organic carbon stocks
Partially targeted -
3. No net soil sealing and increase the reuse of urban soils
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4. Reduce soil pollution and enhance restoration
Partially targeted -
5. Prevent erosion
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6. Improve soil structure to enhance habitat quality for soil biota and crops
Partially targeted -
7. Reduce the EU global footprint on soils
Not targeted -
8. Increase soil literacy in society across Member States
Not targeted
Operational objectives
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1. Build capacities and the knowledge base for soil stewardship
Not targeted
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2. Co-create and upscale place-based innovations to improve soil health in all places
Partially targeted
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3. Develop an integrated EU soil monitoring system and track progress towards soil health
Not targeted
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4. Engage with the soil user community and society at large
Partially targeted
Innovation hotspots
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1. Carbon farming
Targeted
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2. Soil pollution and restoration
Not targeted
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3. Soil biodiversity including the microbiome
Targeted
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4. Circular economy solutions
Not targeted
Cross-cutting dimensions
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1. Business
Not targeted
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2. Digital
Not targeted
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3. Territorial
Not targeted
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4. International
Not targeted
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