Jhenkhar Mallikarjun
PhD Student
Project: Fire-Induced Redistribution and Losses of Elements in the Weathering Zone (FIRE)
EarthShape 2nd Phase: The project is an
affiliated project to the DFG priority program EarthShape (SPP 1803)
Fire is one of the most important
geomorphological factors – an extreme event leading to huge changes of the
element speciation and subsequent losses of nutrients and ballast elements from
ecosystems during a very short period. Frequent fires in (semi)arid,
Mediterranean and forest ecosystems induce dramatic reallocation of all
elements that microorganisms mobilized, and vegetation uplifted from the
saprolite.
In the 1st phase (steady state) – microbial (mainly fungal)
mobilization of elements by root carbon input into the soil and uptake of
nutrients by plants from the soil and saprolite were investigated.
In the 2nd phase (fire event) the losses of these elements by and after fires will be investigated in parallel with the effects on microbial communities and functions. Based on available nutrient and ballast element contents in soils (i) after artificial burning and (ii) chronosequences of ecosystems recovering after natural fires, we will conclude about the element losses over short- and medium-term. Considering the worldwide increasing aridization and consequently the fire frequencies, the expected prediction of losses of nutrients and ballast elements from ecosystems and subsequent weathering possess a global relevance.
Project webpage: www.earthshape.net
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Educational background
Since 2019 PhD
student at the University of Göttingen.
2016–2019 M.Sc in Forest Science and Forest Ecology, Georg August University, Goettingen, Germany. Area of specialization: Tropical and International Forestry. Thesis: Localization of microbial hotspots in the forests by in-situ zymography.
2012–2016 B.Sc in Forestry, College of Forestry, Ponnampet, University of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences, Shivamogga, India.