MEETING THE FOOD, FIBER, AND ENERGY NEEDS OF A GROWING GLOBAL POPULATION IN THE FACE OF A CHANGING CLIMATE IS AMONG THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES OF THE 21ST CENTURY. DEVELOPING AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS THAT ENHANCE CARBON STORAGE IN SOIL IS ESSENTIAL TO INCREASING AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY WHILE ALSO MITIGATING CLIMATE CHANGE THROUGH REDUCED GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS. THIS PROJECT WILL INVESTIGATE HOW CROPPING SYSTEM DIVERSIFICATION, SPECIFICALLY THE PRACTICE OF GROWING MULTI-SPECIES PERENNIAL FORAGE CROPS TO SUPPORT LIVESTOCK, IMPACTS THE CAPACITY OF AGRICULTURAL SOILS TO STORE CARBON. ECOLOGICAL STUDIES IN NATURAL SYSTEMS SUCH AS GRASSLANDS HAVE SHOWN THAT AS PLANT SPECIES DIVERSITY INCREASES SO DO BENEFITS SUCH AS PRODUCTIVITY AND EFFICIENT NUTRIENT CYCLING. WE EXPECT, THEREFORE, THAT LEVERAGING THIS POSITIVE PLANT DIVERSITY EFFECT IN AGRICULTURE WILL LEAD TO INCREASES IN SOIL CARBON STORAGE. THIS RESEARCH WILL MEASURE THE EFFECTS OF INCREASING CROP DIVERSITY ON SOIL CARBON AND EXPLORE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PLANT ROOTS AND SOIL MICROBIAL COMMUNITIES THAT UNDERLIE CARBON ACCUMULATION AND STORAGE IN SOIL. THE RESULTS OF THIS SEED GRANT WILL PROVIDE INSIGHT ON THE EFFICACY OF USING CROP DIVERSIFICATION TO GROW SOIL CARBON STOCKS AND PROVIDE THE FOUNDATION FOR SUBSEQUENT INITIATIVES THAT INTEGRATE UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION WITH RESEARCH AND EXTENSION TO DEVELOP AND DISTRIBUTE MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FARMERS ON DIVERSIFICATION PRACTICES THAT ENHANCE PRODUCTIVITY AND SOIL CARBON STORAGE.