Microbial Observatories: Second Annual Microbial Observatories Meeting: Building a National Network, to be held Fall 2003 in Arlington, VA

微生物负责许多对生物圈功能至关重要的过程。美国国家科学基金会(NSF)微生物观测站(MO)计划支持综合研究，探索新微生物、它们在联合体和社区中的相互作用，以及它们的生理、生物化学和基因组学方面与它们在环境中执行的过程的关系。由MO计划资助的研究人员使用各种分子生物学和微生物学技术直接检查微生物群落。这项工作导致了新的微生物谱系的发现，增加了我们对微生物群落的复杂性和多样性的理解，并帮助将微生物类群与各种自然环境中的关键生态系统过程联系起来，从南极湖泊或黄石温泉的极端环境到更普遍的环境，如农业和森林土壤，以及海洋或淡水系统。由MO计划资助的研究人员被提议举办一次科学研讨会，作为一种手段，作为一种手段，1)分享关于采样、新方法、数据库连接、环境基因组学和元基因组学以及合成的新发现和新想法；2)确定特定的、正式的方式，使MO活动可以长期在全国范围内协调；3)探索未来微生物生命研究的思路和方向。这项工作的具体目标是讨论如何通过一个协调网络将微生物观测站项目的活动联系起来，该网络将在所有微生物组织之间建立综合和协同作用。除了MO资助的研究人员外，目前通过NSF微生物生物学博士后计划资助的博士后助理，包括科学界代表性不足的少数群体，已被邀请参加这次研讨会。

Microbes are responsible for many processes that are vital to biosphere function. The National Science Foundation (NSF) Microbial Observatories (MO) program supports integrative studies that explore novel microorganisms, their interactions in consortia and communities, and aspects of their physiology, biochemistry and genomics in relationship to the processes that they carry out in the environment. Investigators funded through the MO program use a variety of molecular biology and microbiology techniques to directly examine microbial communities. This work has resulted in the discovery of novel microbial lineages, increased our understanding of the complexity and diversity of microbial communities, and helped to link microbial taxa to critical ecosystem processes in a wide variety of natural environments, ranging from the extremes of Antarctic lakes or Yellowstone hot springs to more ubiquitous environments such as agricultural and forest soils, and marine or freshwater systems.A scientific workshop that brings together researchers funded through the MO program is proposed as a means to 1) share new findings and ideas on sampling, new methods, database linkages, environmental genomics and metagenomics, and synthesis; 2) identify specific, formal ways that MO activities can be coordinated nationally over the long term; and 3) explore ideas and directions for the future of microbial life research. The specific objective of this work is to discuss ways to link activities of Microbial Observatories projects through a coordinated network that will build synthesis and synergy between all MOs. In addition to the MO-funded researchers, postdoctoral associates who are currently funded through the NSF Microbial Biology postdoctoral program, including underrepresented minorities in science, have been invited to attend this workshop.