Dr Nina Lindstrom Friggens

My research focuses on plant–soil interactions and their role in carbon and nutrient cycling, with a particular emphasis on the rhizosphere and its influence on soil carbon storage in the context of climate change mitigation. I combine experimental innovation with applied environmental science to better understand how natural and managed ecosystems regulate carbon dynamics.

During my PhD, I developed whole-crown isotopic labelling approaches in Arctic treeline forests, including pioneering whole-tree ¹³C and ¹⁵N pulse-chase experiments to explore forest connectivity and mycelial foraging dynamics. I also investigated the consequences of tree planting on organic-rich soils, showing that such interventions do not always lead to net carbon sequestration.

Building on this, I developed the NERC-funded BLOSOM facility, designed for continuous ¹³C labelling of plants growing in thawed permafrost, to better understand rhizosphere carbon inputs in previously frozen soils. This work helped underpin the expansion of large-scale experimental infrastructure in the CASPER project, focussing on the impacts of amendments in agricultural systems. More recently, I have developed a novel experimental system for high-resolution measurement of CO₂ removal via enhanced rock weathering, enabeling the quantification of carbon dioxide removal by strategies being deployed globally.