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  Soils of Ancient Forest GardensOctober 6, 2025
  Written by: Kristen Pundyk, Alyssa Robinson, Jean-Thomas Cornelis There is a long-standing, and false notion that the forests of North America were untouched, uncultivated, or “wild” prior to colonization. However, since time immemorial, Indigenous peoples of North America actively managed their territories, including their forests to produce foods, medicines, and… Read more: Soils of Ancient Forest Gardens

The latest 5 papers in each of the SoilRes3 research themes are showcased below, with a complete library available here.

Soil-Plant Feedbacks

• Organo-mineral associations largely contribute to the stabilization of century-old pyrogenic organic matter in cropland soilsDecember 3, 2020
  Burgeon, V., Fouche, J., Leifeld, J., Chenu, C., Cornelis, J-T. Abstract: Understanding the processes underlying carbon (C) stability in soils is of utmost importance in the context of climate change. In this setting, biochar is often studied for its persistence in soils and reported to have positive impacts on soil fertility.… Read more: Organo-mineral associations largely contribute to the stabilization of century-old pyrogenic organic matter in cropland soils
• Plants sustain the terrestrial silicon cycle during ecosystem retrogressionSeptember 4, 2020
  De Tombeur, F., Turner, B., Laliberté, E., Lambers, H., Mahy, G., Faucon, M-P., Zemunik, G., Cornelis, J-T. Abstract Silicon is an important element in plant tissues and contributes to structural defenses against herbivores and other stresses. However, the terrestrial biogeochemical cycling of silicon is poorly understood, particularly the relative importance of… Read more: Plants sustain the terrestrial silicon cycle during ecosystem retrogression
• Soil processes drive the biological silicon feedback loopJune 23, 2016
  Jean-Thomas Cornelis, Bruno Delvaux Summary: DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2435.12704
• Silicon isotopes record dissolution and re-precipitation of pedogenic clay minerals in a podzolic soil chronosequenceDecember 1, 2014
  Jean-Thomas Cornelis, Dominique Weis, Les Lavkulich, Marie-Liesse Vermeire, Bruno Delvaux, Jane Barling Abstract: By providing the largest part of the reactive surface area of soils, secondary minerals play a major role in terrestrial biogeochemical processes. The understanding of the mechanisms governing neo(trans-)formation of pedogenic clay minerals in soils is therefore… Read more: Silicon isotopes record dissolution and re-precipitation of pedogenic clay minerals in a podzolic soil chronosequence
• Tracing the origin of dissolved silicon transferred from various soil-plant systems towards rivers: a reviewJanuary 18, 2011
  Jean-Thomas Cornelis, B. Delvaux, R. B. Goerg, Y., Lucas, J. Ranger, and S. Opfergelt Abstract: Silicon (Si) released as H4SiO4 by weathering of Si-containing solid phases is partly recycled through vegetation before its land-to-rivers transfer. By accumulating in terrestrial plants to a similar extent as some major macronutrients (0.1–10% Si… Read more: Tracing the origin of dissolved silicon transferred from various soil-plant systems towards rivers: a review

Land-People Relationships

• Nutrient-charged biochars increased nutrient-use efficiency in a cotton–maize rotation in Burkina FasoDecember 16, 2022
  Saba, F., Cornelis, J-T., Sawadogo, H., Lefebvre, D., Bacia, R., Cisse, D., Bandaogo, A., Mamadou, T., Nacro, H-B. Abstract: Soil nutrient depletion, low crop nutrient-use efficiency, and limited access to fertilizers are serious issues leading to poor yield in agroecosystems of Burkina Faso. Blending biochars with organic or inorganic nutrients… Read more: Nutrient-charged biochars increased nutrient-use efficiency in a cotton–maize rotation in Burkina Faso

Energy and Nutrient Cycling

• The Long-Term Effect of Biochar on Soil Microbial Abundance, Activity and Community Structure Is Overwritten by Land ManagementJuly 11, 2019
  Hardy, B., Sleutel, S., Dufey, J., Cornelis, J-T. Abstract: Soil amendment with biochar can modify soil microbial abundance, activity and community structure. Nevertheless, the long-term evolution of these effects is unknown and of critical importance because biochar persists in soil for centuries. We selected nine charcoal kiln sites (CKS) from forests… Read more: The Long-Term Effect of Biochar on Soil Microbial Abundance, Activity and Community Structure Is Overwritten by Land Management