RISUD Research Seminar: Serendipity in Geoscience: Two Stories in Studying Nitrogen Cycle in Soil-atmosphere Interactions

Serendipity plays a particularly important role in the Earth sciences, where unexpected discoveries—not just incremental progress—often lead to scientific breakthroughs and new theoretical frameworks. This talk will present two unforeseen discoveries in soil-atmosphere nitrogen cycling that challenge conventional understanding. The first case reveals the unique phenomenon of greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N₂O) consumption in nitrogen-deficient, dry upland soils, and explores its underlying mechanisms. The second case examines the surprising emission of the atmospheric pollutant nitrous acid (HONO) from high-moisture soils, discussing systematic observations and proposed molecular pathways. Finally, the presentation will reflect on the critical role of serendipity in advancing geoscience

Biography

Prof. WU Dianming

Professor, 
School of Geographic Sciences,
East China Normal University

Prof. WU earned his PhD in 2015 through a joint programme between the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, where he continued his research as a postdoctoral fellow until 2017. He subsequently joined East China Normal University, and currently holds the position of Distinguished Professor of Physical Geography in the School of Geographic Sciences. He is also a visiting fellow at the Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development at PolyU.

His research explores biosphere-atmosphere interactions, focusing on soil carbon and nitrogen cycling and their climatic and atmospheric effects. He is a member of the Nitrogen Cycle Professional Committee of the Soil Science Society of China and vice-chair of the Atmospheric Environment and Health Meteorology Professional Committee of the Shanghai Meteorological Society. He also serves as an editor for several journals such as Advances in Meteorology, iMeta, and npj Sustainable Agriculture.