A5034951082- Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology
- Forensic Entomology and Diptera Studies
- Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics
- Bacteriophages and microbial interactions
- Microplastics and Plastic Pollution
- Marine and coastal ecosystems
- Paleopathology and ancient diseases
- Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies
- Environmental DNA in Biodiversity Studies
- Composting and Vermicomposting Techniques
- Isotope Analysis in Ecology
- biodegradable polymer synthesis and properties
- Plant and Fungal Interactions Research
- Polymer-Based Agricultural Enhancements
- Soil and Water Nutrient Dynamics
- Gut microbiota and health
- Plant Virus Research Studies
- Aquatic Ecosystems and Phytoplankton Dynamics
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Pharmaceutical and Antibiotic Environmental Impacts
- Fish Ecology and Management Studies
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Soil erosion and sediment transport
- Biofuel production and bioconversion
- Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
University of Tennessee at Knoxville
2015-2024
University of Tennessee Health Science Center
2024
Knoxville College
2015
VIB-KU Leuven Center for Microbiology
2012
Queen's University
2003-2004
Kingston University
2003
Bacteria belonging to phylum Gemmatimonadetes comprise approximately 2% of soil bacterial communities. However, little is known their ecology due a lack cultured representation. Here we present evidence from biogeographical analyses and seasonal quantification in soils, which suggests an adaptation low moisture.
The elevational pattern of soil microbial diversity along mountain slopes has received considerable interest over the last decade. An increasing amount taxonomic data on community composition elevation gradients have been collected, however trophic patterns and environmental drivers changes remain largely unclear. Here, we examined distribution major bacterial fungal taxa northern slope Changbai Mountain, Northeast China, at five typical vegetation types located between 740 2691 m above sea...
Soil microorganisms play essential roles in soil organic matter dynamics and nutrient cycling agroecosystems have been used as quality indicators. The response of microbial communities to land management is complex the long-term impacts cropping systems on microbes largely unknown. Therefore, changes bacterial community composition were assessed sequences bio-covers at no-tillage sites. Main effects four different corn (Zea mays L.), cotton (Gossypium hirsutum soybean (Glycine max L.)...
The ecological succession of microbes during cadaver decomposition has garnered interest in both basic and applied research contexts (e.g. community assembly dynamics; forensic indicator time since death). Yet current understanding microbial ecology is almost entirely based on plant litter. We know very little about recycling carcass-derived organic matter despite the unique processes. Our objective was to quantify taxonomic functional populations soils below decomposing cadavers, testing...
Abstract Postmortem succession of human‐associated microbial communities (“human microbiome”) has been suggested as a possible method for estimating postmortem interval (PMI) forensic analyses. Here we evaluate human gut bacterial populations to determine quantifiable, time‐dependent changes postmortem. Gut microflora were repeatedly sampled from the proximal large intestine 12 deceased individuals they decayed under environmental conditions. Three intestinal genera quantified by...
Research on the human microbiome, microbiota that live in, on, and around person, has revolutionized our understanding of complex interactions between microbial life health disease. The microbiome may also provide a valuable tool in forensic death investigations by helping to reveal postmortem interval (PMI) decedent is discovered after an unknown amount time since death. Current methods estimating PMI for cadavers uncontrolled, unstudied environments have substantial limitations, some which...
Diatom blooms play a central role in supporting foodwebs and sequestering biogenic carbon to depth. Oceanic conditions set bloom initiation, whereas both environmental ecological factors determine magnitude longevity. Our study reveals another fundamental determinant of dynamics. A diatom spring offshore New Zealand waters was likely terminated by iron limitation, even though diatoms consumed <1/3 the mixed‐layer dissolved inventory. Thus, duration were primarily competition for between...
The human microbiome has demonstrated an importance for the health and functioning in living individuals. However, fate of after death is less understood. In addition to a better understanding microbe-mediated decomposition processes, postmortem succession human-associated microbial communities been suggested as possible forensic tool estimating time since death, or interval (PMI). objective our study was document changes gut bacterial communities. Gut microflora were repeatedly sampled from...
Macronutrients in sinking phytoplankton are typically remineralized at different rates, but less is known about the fate of micronutrient metals associated with cells. Scavenging, presence co‐occurring abiotic particles, and inadvertent contamination limit utility bulk analytical approaches to study remineralization trace phytoplankton. We used synchrotron x‐ray fluorescence mapping measure macronutrients (P, S, Si) (Fe, Ni, Zn) individual cells diatom Asterionellopsis glacialis during a...
Agricultural plastic mulch films provide a favorable soil microclimate for plant growth, improving crop yields. Biodegradable (BDMs) have emerged as sustainable alternative to widely used non-biodegradable polyethylene (PE) films. BDMs are tilled into the after use and expected biodegrade under field conditions. However, little is known about microbes involved in biodegradation relationships between plastics soils. In order capture consortium of associated with (and thus likely degrading)...
Conservation tillage is an extensively used agricultural practice in northern China that alters soil texture and nutrient conditions, causing changes the microbial community. However, how conservation affects rhizosphere bulk fungal communities during plant growth remains unclear. The present study investigated effect of long-term (six years) (chisel plough, zero) conventional (plow) wheat on community, using high-throughput sequencing internal transcribed spacer (ITS) gene quantitative PCR....
Plastic mulch films are used globally in crop production but incur considerable disposal and environmental pollution issues. Biodegradable plastic (BDMs), an alternative to polyethylene (PE)-based films, designed be tilled into the soil where they expected mineralized carbon dioxide, water microbial biomass. However, insufficient research regarding impacts of repeated incorporation BDMs on communities has partly contributed limited adoption BDMs. In this study, we evaluated effects BDM...
Micro and nanoplastics (MPs NPs, respectively) in agricultural soil ecosystems represent a pervasive global environmental concern, posing risks to biota, hence health food security. This review provides comprehensive current summary of the literature on sources properties MNPs ecosystems, methodology for isolation characterization recovered from soil, MNP surrogate materials that mimic size soil-borne MNPs, transport through matrix. Furthermore, this elucidates impacts crops microorganisms...
Viruses, with an estimated abundance of 1031 on Earth, are important component soil ecosystems. As obligate parasites that entirely depend hosts for reproduction and survival, viruses have been linked to microbial community diversity metabolic activities in soil. Emerging evidence indicates influence a broad-spectrum processes sustain biodiversity, biogeochemical cycling, fertility, plant health. Research is its early stages. Even observational assessments viral ecology such as abundance,...
The Chattanooga Creek Superfund site is heavily contaminated with metals, pesticides, and coal tar sediments exhibiting high concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). High molecular weight PAHs are concern because their toxicity recalcitrance in the environment; as such, there great interest microbes, such fast-growing Mycobacterium spp., capable degradation these compounds. Real-time quantitative PCR assays were developed targeting multiple dioxygenase genes to assess...
The Lone Star tick, Amblyomma americanum, transmits several bacterial pathogens including species of Anaplasma and Ehrlichia. americanum also hosts a number non-pathogenic endosymbionts. Recent studies other arthropod insect vectors have documented that commensal microflora can influence transmission vector-borne pathogens; however, little is known about tick microbiomes their possible on tick-borne diseases. Our objective was to compare communities associated with A. comparing...