Alar Astover

Alar Astover is a Tenured Professor of Soil Science and Head of the Chair at the Estonian University of Life Sciences, affiliated with the Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. His research focuses on sustainable soil management, carbon sequestration, and nutrient cycling in agricultural systems.

Research interests span soil fertility, microbial ecology, and climate-smart agriculture. Key areas include:

• Biochar applications for waste valorization
• Soil organic carbon dynamics under long-term fertilization
• Arbuscular mycorrhizal biodiversity in agroecosystems
• Emission mitigation strategies for greenhouse gases
• EU-wide harmonization of soil management policies

His recent publications (2020-2025) demonstrate strong emphasis on:

• Field-scale carbon/nitrogen budgeting
• Remediation of soil contaminants
• Eco-hydrological modeling
• Policy-relevant soil health indicators
• Climate resilience in temperate agriculture