Stimulating forest carbon uptake and storage by mycorrhizal inoculation
Objective and Hypothesis
Major afforestation on agricultural land is being implemented in DK, with a large CCUS potential. However, the microbiome of agricultural soils may limit the forest growth and thereby the CCUS potential. Inoculation of afforestation soils with forest adapted microorganisms has the potential to increase the plant growth significantly. Therefore, the objectives of MycoForest is to: 1) investigate the short and long term potential to increase carbon uptake and storage by inoculating afforestation sites with mycorrhizal strains in different Danish contexts (soil, tree, amendment, strain, climate) 2) ensure practical feasibility of inoculation synergies with other soil amendments, and 3) provide economic feasibility scenarios, carbon documentation for market facilitation and stakeholder and policy outreach. Hypothesis: inoculation by forest adapted mycorrhiza in afforestation on agricultural land can increase the CCS potential by 10-20%
Approach
MycoForestCarbon will combine experiments in the lab and green houses to understand key inoculation factors with full afforestation experiments at three sites in Denmark to document and upscale carbon uptake effects of mycorrhiza inoculation in afforestation Denmark, and provide long term assessment. Further, practical and economic feasibility studies involving core stakeholders will conducted.
Impact and Outcome
MycoForest will deliver methodologies and documentation for increased carbon uptake and storage by use of inoculation with mycorrhizal fungi and other amendments in afforestation. An implementation plan will be delivered including guidelines for inoculation methods and relevant modifed afforestation practices adjusted to facilitate mycorrhizal use. The project will assess the economic feasibility and regulatory carbon documentation needs and provide communication and stakeholder and policy outreach.
