Brief description
The Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) is the largest public institution dedicated to research in Spain. The Soil Microbiology group belongs to the Instituto de Investigaciones Agrobiológicas de Galicia (IIAG) located in Santiago de Compostela. Current projects focus on the optimisation of the plant-microbial-soil system to improve phytoremediation strategies (phytostabilisation and phytoextraction (phytomining) of trace metals, and rhizoremediation of organic pollutants). The group manages several phytoremediation field trials where they are evaluating the performance of bioenergy crops and metal-hyperaccumulating plant species in mining areas or ultramafic regions of Galicia. Additional research focuses on the use of soil amendments (particularly organic wastes) to improve plant productivity in contaminated soils.