A5085317500- Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology
- Polar Research and Ecology
- Protist diversity and phylogeny
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Methane Hydrates and Related Phenomena
- Biocrusts and Microbial Ecology
- Machine Learning in Bioinformatics
- Genetics, Bioinformatics, and Biomedical Research
- Building materials and conservation
- Marine Biology and Ecology Research
- Isotope Analysis in Ecology
- Marine Ecology and Invasive Species
- Karst Systems and Hydrogeology
- Pasture and Agricultural Systems
- Photosynthetic Processes and Mechanisms
- Geotechnical Engineering and Soil Stabilization
- Subterranean biodiversity and taxonomy
- Bacteriophages and microbial interactions
- Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics
- Microbial Fuel Cells and Bioremediation
- Algal biology and biofuel production
- Atmospheric and Environmental Gas Dynamics
- Civil and Geotechnical Engineering Research
- Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas Production
- Plant and animal studies
Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute
2020-2024
Monash University
2017-2024
La Trobe University
2024
Australian Antarctic Division
2021
UNSW Sydney
2021
Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research
2021
University of Pretoria
2021
The University of Queensland
2021
Chinese Academy of Sciences
2021
University of Exeter
2012
Metagenomic and biochemical analyses of soil samples from Antarctic desert regions provides evidence that bacteria in these soils derive carbon energy atmospheric CO, H2 CO2. Terrestrial Antarctica is one the most extreme environments on Earth, but previous work has shown it does support microbial life. How communities sustain their needs at sites which photosynthetic potential low been unclear. Belinda Ferrari colleagues applied shotgun metagenomics to clarify basis primary production two...
Abstract Ecological theory suggests that habitat disturbance differentially influences distributions of generalist and specialist species. While well-established for macroorganisms, this has rarely been explored microorganisms. Here we tested these principles in permeable (sandy) sediments, ecosystems with much spatiotemporal variation resource availability physicochemical conditions. Microbial community composition function were profiled intertidal subtidal sediments using 16S rRNA gene...
Abstract Most aerobic bacteria exist in dormant states within natural environments. In these states, they endure adverse environmental conditions such as nutrient starvation by decreasing metabolic expenditure and using alternative energy sources. this study, we investigated the sources that support persistence of two thermophilic strains environmentally widespread but understudied phylum Chloroflexi. A transcriptome study revealed Thermomicrobium roseum (class Chloroflexia) extensively...
Significance Diverse microbial life has been detected in the cold desert soils of Antarctica once thought to be barren. Here, we provide metagenomic, biogeochemical, and culture-based evidence that Antarctic soil microorganisms are phylogenetically functionally distinct from those other adopt various metabolic ecological strategies. The most abundant community members metabolically versatile aerobes use ubiquitous atmospheric trace gases potentially meet energy, carbon, and, through water...
Abstract Desert soils harbour diverse communities of aerobic bacteria despite lacking substantial organic carbon inputs from vegetation. A major question is therefore how these maintain their biodiversity and biomass in resource-limiting ecosystems. Here, we investigated desert topsoils biological soil crusts collected along an aridity gradient traversing four climatic regions (sub-humid, semi-arid, arid, hyper-arid). Metagenomic analysis indicated vary capacity to use sunlight, compounds,...
How the diverse bacterial communities inhabiting desert soils maintain energy and carbon needs is much debated. Traditionally, most bacteria are thought to persist by using organic synthesized photoautotrophs following transient hydration events. Recent studies focused on Antarctic have revealed, however, that some use atmospheric trace gases, such as hydrogen (H
Cold desert soil microbiomes thrive despite severe moisture and nutrient limitations. In Eastern Antarctic soils, bacterial primary production is supported by trace gas oxidation the light-independent RuBisCO form IE. This study aims to determine if atmospheric chemosynthesis widespread within Antarctic, Arctic Tibetan cold deserts, identify breadth of chemosynthetic taxa further characterize genetic determinants this process. H2 was ubiquitous, far exceeding rates reported fulfill...
Throughout coastal Antarctica, ice shelves separate oceanic waters from sunlight by hundreds of meters ice. Historical studies have detected activity nitrifying microorganisms in cavities below permanent shelves. However, little is known about the microbial composition and pathways that mediate these activities. In this study, we profiled communities beneath Ross Ice Shelf using a multi-omics approach. Overall, beneath-shelf are comparable abundance diversity, though distinct composition,...
It is commonly thought that bacterial distributions show lower spatial variation than for multicellular organisms. In this article, we present evidence these inferences are artifacts caused by methodological limitations. Through leveraging innovations in sampling design, sequence processing, and diversity analysis, provide multifaceted communities fact exhibit strong distribution patterns. This driven selection due to factors such as local soil characteristics. Altogether, findings suggest...
Many of the world's most arid deserts harbour surprisingly diverse communities heterotrophic bacteria. These organisms persist in surface soils under extreme climatic conditions, despite lacking obvious energy inputs from phototrophic primary producers. A longstanding conundrum has been how these sustain enough to maintain their diversity and biomass. We recently helped resolve this by demonstrating that some desert are structured a minimalistic mode chemosynthetic production, where...
Abstract Phenotypic traits that convey information about individual identity or quality are important in animal social interactions, and the degree to which such influenced by environmental variation can have profound effects on reliability of these cues. Using inbred genetic lines decorated cricket, G ryllodes sigillatus , we manipulated diet test how cuticular hydrocarbon ( CHC ) profiles males females respond across two different nutritional rearing environments. There were significant...
An overriding question in ecology is how new ecosystems form. This can be tested by studying colonisation of environments with little to no pre-existing life. Here, we investigated the functional basis microbial forelands a maritime Antarctic and an alpine Swiss retreating glacier, integrating quantitative ecology, genome-resolved metagenomics, biogeochemical measurements. Habitat generalists opportunists rapidly colonize both persist across soil depth decadal chronosequences that serve as...
Abstract A surprising diversity and abundance of microorganisms resides in the cold desert soils Antarctica. The metabolic processes that sustain them, however, are poorly understood. In this study, we used metagenomic biogeochemical approaches to study microbial communities 16 physicochemically diverse mountainous glacial from remote sites South Victoria Land, north Mackay Glacier. We assembled 451 metagenome-assembled genomes 18 bacterial archaeal phyla, constituting largest resource...
Most aerated cave ecosystems are assumed to be oligotrophic given they receive minimal inputs of light energy. Diverse microorganisms have nevertheless been detected within caves, though it remains unclear what strategies enable them meet their energy and carbon needs. Here we determined the processes mediators primary production in limestone basalt caves through paired metagenomic biogeochemical profiling. Based on 1458 metagenome-assembled genomes, over half microbial cells encode enzymes...
Abstract Ecological theory suggests that habitat disturbance differentially influences distributions of generalist and specialist species. While well-established for macroorganisms, this has rarely been explored microorganisms. Here we tested these principles in permeable (sandy) sediments, ecosystems with much spatiotemporal variation resource availability other conditions. Microbial community composition function was profiled intertidal subtidal sediments using 16S amplicon sequencing...
Abstract Bacteria within aerated environments often exist a variety of dormant forms. In these states, bacteria endure adverse environmental conditions such as organic carbon starvation by decreasing metabolic expenditure and using alternative energy sources. this study, we investigated the sources that facilitate persistence environmentally widespread but understudied bacterial phylum Chloroflexi. A transcriptome study revealed Thermomicrobium roseum (class Chloroflexia) extensively...
Wetland tree stems have recently been shown to be a major source of methane emissions. However, the microbial communities associated within these (the caulosphere) and their contribution biogeochemical cycling other compounds remain poorly understood. Here, we reveal that specialised inhabit bark multiple Australian species actively mediate methane, hydrogen, climate-active trace gases. Based on genome-resolved metagenomics, most bark-associated bacteria are hydrogen metabolisers facultative...
The oceanic waters beneath Antarctica's Ross Ice Shelf are among the largest unexplored habitats on Earth. Previous studies have shown active microorganisms reside in these waters, but their identity and capabilities remain unknown. Here, we combined multi-omics biogeochemical measurements to determine composition metabolic activities of microbial communities water column under Shelf. We reveal that harbour diverse distinct assemblages microorganisms. In an ecosystem devoid photosynthesis,...
Geosmin — the earthy smell of rain is an important volatile organic compound produced by microorganisms in many environments. emission readily recognized after rain, especially first heavy rainfall a long drought. Even with geosmin’s ubiquity, very few studies have investigated production geosmin soil, while aquatic environments been heavily explored. Here, we studied emissions and its potential microbial producers desert soil explored conditions that affected production. We collected intact...