** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** HEALTHY SOILS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR SUPPORTING AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY, ENSURING FOOD SECURITY, AND MAINTAINING ECOSYSTEM SERVICES SUCH AS NUTRIENT CYCLING AND WATER RETENTION. HOWEVER, SOIL HEALTH IS UNDER THREAT DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE AND UNSUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES. THIS PROJECT ADDRESSES THE URGENT NEED TO BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW DIFFERENT FARMING PRACTICES, PARTICULARLY INTEGRATED CROP-LIVESTOCK (ICL) SYSTEMS, AFFECT SOIL HEALTH. BY INVESTIGATING THE ROLES OF SOIL ORGANISMS, SUCH AS EARTHWORMS AND INSECTS, IN THE FORMATION AND STABILIZATION OF SOIL ORGANIC MATTER, THIS RESEARCH AIMS TO PROVIDE VALUABLE INSIGHTS THAT CAN HELP IMPROVE SOIL MANAGEMENT PRACTICES.TO ACHIEVE THIS, WE WILL CONDUCT FIELD AND GREENHOUSE EXPERIMENTS THAT MIMIC REAL-WORLD FARMING CONDITIONS. IN THE FIELD, WE WILL STUDY HOW DIFFERENT MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IMPACT SOIL HEALTH BY COMPARING CONVENTIONAL FARMING WITH ICL SYSTEMS THAT INCLUDE COVER CROPS AND LIVESTOCK INTEGRATION. IN THE GREENHOUSE, WE WILL EXPLORE HOW DIFFERENT TYPES OF PLANT MATERIAL, SUCH AS LIVING ROOTS AND CROP RESIDUES, INTERACT WITH SOIL ORGANISMS TO INFLUENCE SOIL STRUCTURE AND CARBON STORAGE. OUR GOAL IS TO IDENTIFY PRACTICAL WAYS TO ENHANCE SOIL HEALTH, WHICH WILL BE SHARED WITH FARMERS, POLICY MAKERS, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC THROUGH PUBLICATIONS, WORKSHOPS, AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES.ULTIMATELY, THIS RESEARCH AIMS TO PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES THAT IMPROVE SOIL HEALTH, INCREASE CROP YIELDS, AND CONTRIBUTE TO CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION BY ENHANCING CARBON SEQUESTRATION IN SOILS. BY PROVIDING A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF SOIL ECOSYSTEMS, WE HOPE TO SUPPORT THE WIDESPREAD ADOPTION OF REGENERATIVE FARMING PRACTICES, LEADING TO MORE RESILIENT AND PRODUCTIVE AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS.