Maximilian Rötzer

Publications

Projects

• P25: Multiscale modeling with evolving microstructure: An approach to emergence in the rhizosphere via effective soil functions

  
  (Third Party Funds Single)
  Term: 01-11-2022 - 31-10-2025
  Funding source: DFG / Schwerpunktprogramm (SPP)
  
  Abstract

  To couple three interwoven areas of rhizosphere research “Processes, Methods and Applications”, we utilize and improve mechanistic, mathematical models in forms of combined cellular automata and PDE/ODE systems on the microscale, offering the opportunity to bridge scales by homogenization techniques. The
  systematic study of the interaction of transformation processes in the rhizosphere focussing on mucilage and root hairs, and its couplings to soil structure, geochemistry, microbiology, and to upscaled soil
  functions will contribute to the focal question of the PP, how resilience emerges from self-organised spatiotemporal pattern formation in the rhizosphere.
  

  In more detail:
  

  H1: The development of the selforganization in the rhizosphere in connection with the spatiotemporal
  patterns of nutrients, water and biomass can be studied with the realized extension of the existing model and simulation tool now in relation to the data of phase 1.
  

  H2: The connection between soil structure formation, habitat conditions - also influenced by the
  production and degradation of mucilage - and the microbial communities.
  

  H3: The size of the rhizosphere is determined by the radial extent of pattern formation controlled by root
  activity/morphology. We want to study in particular the interaction of soil structure (in particular porosity), root exudates and transport properties relevant for the plant. Thus we address the focal topics
  aggregate formation / soil structure with pore scale modeling and water flux / mucilage.
  

  We refer in particular to the following research questions of phase 2:
  

  III. How do carbon flow and structure interact (with P19, P22)?
  

  V. What is the relevance of mucilage for the soilplant system regarding drought resilience, but also mechanistic understanding for mucilage at the microscale - evidence for relevance at system scale, plant-soil system is still lacking (with P4,P5,P23,P24)

  
  VI. What is the mechanistic function of root hairs - quantify the maintenance of hydraulic continuity, the effect on nutrients uptake, and extension of depletion zones (with P7,P4)
  

  In close cooperation with the experimental partners we evaluate the interplay of the mechanisms in concrete PP rhizosphere settings, and will also refer to the spatiotemporal patterns identified by P21 from high resolution correlative imaging. The necessary basis for 3D simulations will be the parallelized, efficient algorithms, and machine learning techniques to systematically explore the upscaling of soil functions. The simulation tool delivers its value through the capability to illustrate, compare, and reveal influencing factors and mechanisms by abstracting relevant processes. It is not intended to ’redraw’ data curves of the experiments but to gain new insights through the ability to analyze separately, but also to study the interplay of several processes in an integrative simulation. Thus it intends to bridge a knowledge gap that laboratory experiments can currently not fill alone.
  

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