A5033114106- Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology
- Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics
- Gut microbiota and health
- Bacteriophages and microbial interactions
- Viral gastroenteritis research and epidemiology
- Plant Virus Research Studies
- Fecal contamination and water quality
- Peatlands and Wetlands Ecology
- Coastal wetland ecosystem dynamics
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Climate change and permafrost
- Mycorrhizal Fungi and Plant Interactions
- Microbial Fuel Cells and Bioremediation
- Polar Research and Ecology
- Mine drainage and remediation techniques
- Methane Hydrates and Related Phenomena
- Soil and Water Nutrient Dynamics
- Radioactive element chemistry and processing
- Plant and Fungal Interactions Research
- Fire effects on ecosystems
- Plant Parasitism and Resistance
- Bioenergy crop production and management
- Water Treatment and Disinfection
- Health, Environment, Cognitive Aging
- Plant-Microbe Interactions and Immunity
University of St Andrews
2025
Wildlife Trusts
2024
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
2018-2023
Georgia Institute of Technology
2013-2021
Argonne National Laboratory
2013-2021
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
2016
University of California, Davis
1990
Soil microbial communities are essential for ecosystem function, but linking community composition to biogeochemical processes is challenging because of high diversity and large spatial variability most soil characteristics. We investigated bacterial structure in a switchgrass stand planted on with history grassland vegetation at resolution determine whether biogeographic trends occurred the centimeter scale. Moreover, we tested such heterogeneity, if present, influenced within or among...
Metagenomes encode an enormous diversity of proteins, reflecting a multiplicity functions and activities
Soil microbial communities are extremely complex, being composed of thousands low-abundance species (<0.1% total). How such complex respond to natural or human-induced fluctuations, including major perturbations as global climate change, remains poorly understood, severely limiting our predictive ability for soil ecosystem functioning and resilience. In this study, we compared 12 whole-community shotgun metagenomic data sets from a grassland in the Midwestern United States, half representing...
Abstract Both ‘species fitness difference’‐based deterministic processes, such as competitive exclusion and environmental filtering, difference’‐independent stochastic birth/death dispersal/colonization, can influence the assembly of soil microbial communities. However, how both types processes are mediated by anthropogenic changes has rarely been explored. Here we report a novel general pattern that almost all took place in grassland ecosystem affected bacterial community primarily through...
Northern-latitude tundra soils harbor substantial carbon (C) stocks that are highly susceptible to microbial degradation with rising global temperatures. Understanding the magnitude and direction (e.g., C release or sequestration) of responses warming is necessary accurately model climate change. In this study, Alaskan were subjected experimental in situ by ∼1.1 °C above ambient temperature, communities evaluated using metagenomics after 4.5 years, at 2 depths: 15 25 cm (active layer outset...
Abstract Background Peatlands are expected to experience sustained yet fluctuating higher temperatures due climate change, leading increased microbial activity and greenhouse gas emissions. Despite mounting evidence for viral contributions these processes in peatlands underlain with permafrost, little is known about viruses other peatlands. More generally, soil biogeography its potential drivers poorly understood at both local global scales. Here, 87 metagenomes five size-fraction (viromes)...
Significance While peatlands have historically stored massive amounts of soil carbon, warming is expected to enhance decomposition, leading a positive feedback with climate change. In this study, unique whole-ecosystem experiment was conducted in northern Minnesota warm peat profiles 2 m deep while keeping water flow intact. After nearly y, enhanced the degradation organic matter and increased greenhouse gas production. Changes quality were accompanied by stimulation methane production...
How soil microbial communities contrast with respect to taxonomic and functional composition within between ecosystems remains an unresolved question that is central predicting how global anthropogenic change will affect functioning services. In particular, it unclear small-scale observations of based on the typical volume sampled (1-2 grams) are generalizable ecosystem-scale responses processes. This especially relevant for remote, northern latitude soils, which challenging sample also...
Abstract Anthropogenic environmental changes are accelerating the rate of biodiversity loss on Earth. Plant diversity is predicted to reduce soil microbial primarily due decreased variety carbon/energy resources. However, this intuitive hypothesis supported by sparse empirical evidence, and most underlying mechanisms remain underexplored or obscure altogether. We constructed four gradients (0–3) in a five‐year plant functional group removal experiment steppe ecosystem Inner Mongolia, China,...
In a warmer world, microbial decomposition of previously frozen organic carbon (C) is one the most likely positive climate feedbacks permafrost regions to atmosphere. However, mechanistic understanding mediation on chemically recalcitrant C instability limited; thus, it crucial identify and evaluate active decomposers C, which essential for predicting C-cycle their relative strength influence change. Using stable isotope probing layer Arctic tundra soils after depleting soil labile through...
Although iron- and sulfate-reducing bacteria in subsurface environments have crucial roles biogeochemical cycling of C, Fe, S, how specific electron donors impact the compositional structure activity native and/or communities is largely unknown. To understand this better, we created bicarbonate-buffered batch systems duplicate with three different (acetate, lactate, or glucose) paired ferrihydrite sulfate as acceptors inoculated them sediment microbial inoculum. Sulfate reduction occurred...
Current agricultural and livestock practices contribute to fecal contamination in the environment spread of food- waterborne disease antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Traditionally, level pollution risk public health are assessed by culture-based tests for intestinal bacterium Escherichia coli . However, accuracy these traditional methods (e.g., low quantification, false-positive signal when PCR based) their suitability sediments remain unclear. We collected a time series metagenomics...
Plant–microbe symbioses span a continuum from pathogenic to mutualistic, with functional consequences for both organisms in the symbiosis. In order increase sustainable food and fuel production future, it is imperative that we harness these symbioses. The tree genus Populus an excellent model system studies examining plant–microbe interactions due wealth of genomic information available molecular tools have been developed manipulate Populus–microbe this review, highlight how can serve as...
Many anthropogenic environmental changes are leading to a rapid decline in soil microbial functional diversity. However, ecological mechanisms that can serve counteract/resist the diversity loss remain largely underexplored. In particular, although intermediate disturbance and increased amount of effective resources promote higher organisms, potential role these factors, their combination, maintaining is poorly studied. We conducted 5-year experiment Eurasian steppe, manipulating mowing,...
Peatlands play outsized roles in the global carbon cycle. Despite occupying a rather small fraction of terrestrial biosphere (~3%), these ecosystems account for roughly one third soil pool. This is largely comprised undecomposed deposits plant material (peat) that may be meters thick. The fate this deep stockpile with ongoing and future climate change thus great interest has large potential to induce positive feedback warming. Recent situ warming an ombrotrophic peatland indicated peat...
Populus trichocarpa is an ecologically important tree species and economically biofeedstock. Belowground, P. interacts with diverse microorganisms in the rhizosphere root endosphere. These plant–microbe interactions can bolster a variety of plant processes, ranging from pathogen suppression to drought tolerance, yet we know little about impact chronic stress on trichocarpa’s belowground microbiomes. To investigate interactive effect microbial communities across genetically different hosts,...
It is a central ecological goal to explore the effects of global change factors on soil microbial communities. The vast functional gene repertoire communities composed both core and accessory genes, which may be governed by distinct drivers. This intuitive hypothesis, however, remains largely unexplored. We conducted 5-year nitrogen water addition experiment in Eurasian steppe quantified diversity via shotgun metagenomics. Nitrogen led an 11-fold increase abundance (based quantitative PCR...
We investigated patterns in denitrifier and NH3-oxidizer community structure function along environmental gradients midwestern USA wetlands. Denitrifier functional groups have contrasting sensitivities to O2 levels other soil factors. Thus, variable tolerance among within can result a range of microbial responses the same gradient. compared structure–function relationships 2 restored wetlands Illinois natural Michigan. At each site, we established 4 transects perpendicular shore placed plots...
Plants are colonized by numerous microorganisms serving important symbiotic functions that vital to plant growth and success. Understanding harnessing these interactions will be useful in both managed natural ecosystems faced with global change, but it is still unclear how variation environmental conditions soils influence the trajectory of interactions. In this study, we examine nitrogen addition alters plant-fungal within two species Populus - deltoides P. trichocarpa. experiment,...
Abstract Background Peatlands are expected to experience sustained yet fluctuating higher temperatures due climate change, leading increased microbial activity and greenhouse gas emissions. Despite mounting evidence for viral contributions these processes in peatlands underlain with permafrost, little is known about viruses other peatlands. More generally, soil biogeography its potential drivers poorly understood at both local global scales. Here, 87 metagenomes five size-fraction (viromes)...