Yakov Kuzyakov (born 27 August 1963) is a soil scientist professor.[1]
Research and career
Kuzyakov graduated in 1986 from the Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg in
Halle. He defended his PhD at the
Russian State Agrarian University – Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy (Moscow) in 1990 under the supervision of Alexey Fokin. Then he headed the radioisotopic laboratory from 1990 to 1993 over there. Later in 1993 Kuzyakov continued his research at the
Humboldt University of Berlin and the Leibniz Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops. In 1997 he completed the
habilitation at the
University of Hohenheim under the supervision of
Karl Stahr. In 2006 he took up a professorship at the department of Agroecosystem Research at the
University of Bayreuth. Since 2011, he heads the department of Soil Science of Temperate Ecosystems and the department of Agricultural Soil Science at the
University of Göttingen.[2][3]
Scientific achievements
Kuzyakov is a highly cited researcher in the field of Agricultural Sciences for the 2015–2023,[4][5] he was also included in the list of the most cited Russian scientists in 2017.[6]The H-index is 111 (
Scopus database). Yakov has published more than 835 scientific papers,[7][8] indexed by
Web of Science and
Scopus databases which include:
published 95 papers in 2023, or 4 days per paper[10]
He developed new concepts of
Priming effect,[11][12] Microbial hotspots and hot moments in soil,[13] Transformation of low-molecular organic compounds in soil, Rhizosphere dynamics and stationarity,[14] Root exudation and its localization, Visualization of
enzyme activity in soil,[15] Competition between microorganisms and roots for nutrients,[16] Pedogenic carbonates,[17]Agropedogenesis,[18] Partitioning and quantification of CO2 sources,[19]Biochar stability [20] etc.
These concepts were investigated in the frame of global climate change conditions: global warming,
elevated СО2 in the atmosphere,
drought, N deposition and
soil degradation. He is the first to use position specific isotope labelling, 14СО2 and 13СО2 plant labelling combined with
autoradiography and
zymography coupling with
biomarkers. The concepts, ideas and methodical approaches developed by Yakov Kuzyakov group stimulated many research directions worldwide.[21]
Research interests
Kuzyakov specialises in
soil ecology and soil
biogeochemistry (lipids, low molecular organic substances),
agriculture, land use,
agroecology, C and N cycles, priming effects, soil-plant interactions (
rhizosphere processes), in-depth study of
rhizodeposition, partitioning of CO2 fluxes from soil and application of radioactive and stable isotope labelling approaches in soil science.[22] He has conducted research in all
climatic zones including cold
deserts,
tropical areas and in various
ecosystems (
agricultural lands,
forests,
mountains,
pastures, etc).[23][24][25] The collaboration includes the projects with other research groups from Europe (Germany, Italy, France, Denmark, Russia, UK), Asia (China, South Korea, Indonesia), North and South America (USA, Chile), Africa (Tanzania) and Australia.[26]
^Kuzyakov, Y; Xu, X (2013). "Tansley Review: Competition between roots and microorganisms for N: mechanisms and ecological relevance". New Phytologist. 198 (3): 656–669.
doi:
10.1111/nph.12235.
^Stock, S; Koester, M; Najera, F; Boy, J; Matus, F; Merino, C; Abdallah, K; Spielvogel, S; Gorbushina, A; Dippold, M; Kuzyakov, Y (2022). "Vegetation strategies for nitrogen and potassium acquisition along a climate and vegetation gradient: From semi-desert to temperate rainforest". Geoderma. 425: 116077.
doi:
10.1016/j.geoderma.2022.116077.