Alexander Ederer

I study the rhythms and patterns of the world beneath our feet, specifically the processes that affect climate change. Over millions of years, the gradual breakdown of rocks to soil has not only provided humans with the soil we need to survive but also controlled the atmospheric concentrations of CO2 that alter Earth's climate. Soil is an intersectional interface between life, minerals, water, and the atmosphere, and the process of its formation is very complex. Among soil components, tiny clay particles are the most important because they 1) are key indicator of a soil's history and 2) provide reactive surfaces on which carbon-rich molecules can bind to. When carbon-rich molecules are attached to clay particles, they are inaccessible to microbes and are not consumed and respired to the atmosphere as CO2. When carbon-rich molecules detach from clays, they can be respired to the atmosphere and contribute significantly to atmospheric CO2 levels. I want to learn more about how tiny clay particles (colloids) have controlled soil formation throughout Earth's history.