Design and Construction of an Experimental Setup to Enhance Mineral Weathering through the Activity of Soil OrganismsTullia Calogiuri 1,2, Mathilde Hagens 2, Jan Willem Van Groenigen 1, Thomas Corbett 3, Jens Hartmann 4, Rick Hendriksen 5, Iris Janssens 6, Ivan A. Janssens 7, Guillermo Ledesma Dominguez 7, Grant Loescher 4, Steven Mortier 6, Anna Neubeck 3, Harun Niron 7, Reinaldy P. Poetra 4, Lukas Rieder 4, Eric Struyf 7, Michiel Van Tendeloo 8, Tom De Schepper 6, Tim Verdonck 9, Siegfried E. Vlaeminck 8, Sara Vicca 7, Alix Vidal 1
1Soil Biology Group, Wageningen University & Research, 2Soil Chemistry and Chemical Soil Quality, Wageningen University & Research, 3Department of Earth Sciences, Uppsala University, 4Institute for Geology, Center for Earth System Research and Sustainability, University of Hamburg, 5Tupola, Wageningen University & Research, 6IDLab - Department of Computer Science, University of Antwerp - imec, 7Plants and Ecosystems (PLECO), Biology Department, University of Antwerp, 8Research Group of Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology, University of Antwerp, 9Department of Mathematics, University of Antwerp - imec
Here we present the construction and operation of an experimental setup to enhance mineral weathering through the activity of soil organisms while concurrently manipulating abiotic variables known to stimulate weathering. Representative results from the functioning of the setup and sample analyses are discussed together with points for improvement.