FIBR Planning: Microbiological Networks - Hydrologic, Biogeochemical, and Microbial Interactions within Linked Terrestrial-Aquatic Biological Systems

陆地-水生生物系统（TABS），如源头集水区和洪泛平原河流，通过系统组成部分之间的水文联系进行整合。TABS可以被看作是动态的和自适应的“微生物网络”，其交换基因、细胞、营养物和电子供体/受体沿着水文流动路径。 本计划的重点是发展一项研究计划，以解决以下问题：1）微生物组合在TABS如何与动态水文过程相互作用，形成微生物网络，以及这些网络的出现如何影响微生物组合内的系统发育和功能多样性？以及2）微生物网络如何影响TABS内的粗尺度生物过程和模式（例如，地球化学模式和宏观生物的分布）？将举行一个研讨会，聚集微生物学，生物地球化学，景观生态学，地球科学，模拟建模和网络理论的专家，以开发一个综合文件，描述微生物网络的概念，并制定一个研究建议来研究它们。智力优势：微生物网络的概念为微生物学与水文学和生态系统科学的整合提供了一个框架。具体而言，这一概念将提高对以下问题的认识：1）微生物多样性的地质水文控制，从而更好地了解生物对气候变化、土地利用行动和水文流量调节等扰动的反应; 2）微生物群落影响TABS内土壤地球化学循环的机制，从而为研究微生物多样性在景观中的重要性建立了一个正式的框架。更广泛的影响：该项目的重点是巴尔的摩LTER站点（马里兰州）和尤马蒂拉河洪泛平原（俄勒冈州），并包括一项战略，以纳入霍华德大学（为巴尔的摩LTER站点附近的非裔美国人服务）和蓝山社区学院（为尤马蒂拉印第安人保留地的美洲土著人服务）的本科教育方案。此外，项目活动为早期职业科学家提供了大量机会，使他们能够发挥领导作用，并在发展新的科学整合方面与知名科学家互动。

Terrestrial-Aquatic Biological Systems (TABS) such as headwater catchments and flood-plain rivers are integrated by hydrologic linkages between system components. TABS can be viewed as dynamic and adaptive "microbiological networks" that exchange genes, cells, nutrients, and electron donors/acceptors along hydrologic flow paths. This planning project focuses on development of a research plan to address the following questions: 1) How do microbial assemblages within TABS interact with dynamic hydrologic processes to form microbiological networks and how does the emergence of these networks influence phylogenetic and functional diversity within microbial assemblages? and 2) How do microbiological networks influence coarser-scale biological processes and patterns within TABS (e.g., patterns in biogeochemistry and the distribution of macroscopic organisms)? A workshop will be held to gather experts in microbiology, biogeochemistry, landscape ecology, geosciences, simulation modeling, and network theory to develop a synthesis paper describing the concept of microbiological networks and craft a research proposal to study them. Intellectual Merit: The concept of microbiological networks provides a framework for integrating microbiology with hydrologic and ecosystem science. Specifically, the concept will yield improved understanding of: 1) geo-hydrologic controls on microbial diversity, leading to better understanding of biological responses to perturbations such as climate change, land use actions, and hydrologic flow regulation; and 2) the mechanisms by which linked microbial assemblages influence biogeochemical cycling within TABS, thereby creating a formal framework for studying the importance of microbial diversity in landscapes. Broader Impacts: This project focuses on the Baltimore LTER site (Maryland) and Umatilla River Flood Plain (Oregon) and includes a strategy to incorporate undergraduate education programs at Howard University (serving African Americans near the Baltimore LTER site) and Blue Mountain Community College (serving Native Americans on the Umatilla Indian Reservation). Further, project activities provide substantive opportunities for early-career scientists to take leadership roles and to interact with well established scientists in the development of new scientific integration.