Dissertation Research: Disentangling spatial patterns and scale-dependency of soil microbial communities in an agricultural landscape.

土壤微生物进行许多过程，这些过程对于保持肥沃的土壤和可持续的农业土地至关重要。例如，它们回收养分并调节温室气体排放。然而，人们对微生物在整个景观中的分布知之甚少。为了解决这一知识差距，该研究项目将研究不同的因素，如农业管理实践和土壤特性，如何影响微生物在当地和更广泛的空间尺度上的分布和功能。这些实验将作为景观生物量项目的一部分进行，该项目是爱荷华州中部的一个大规模研究和示范农场。该项目的结果将生成用于模拟土壤微生物及其执行过程的数据。反过来，这些模型将为促进土壤碳和氮保持并最大限度地减少温室气体排放的管理决策提供信息。作为该项目的一部分，收集的数据将加强涉及生态学和地球化学、农学、水文学、林业和经济学领域的跨学科研究。该项目将支持与联合王国土壤建模者的国际合作。它将通过实地实践和实验室经验，促进对大学生进行地球化学科学方面的培训。最后，将在现场实地介绍、与农民咨询委员会举行的会议以及与决策者举行的讲习班上向各种公共和私营利益攸关方介绍成果。

Soil microorganisms carry out many processes that are vital for maintaining productive soils and sustainable agricultural lands. For example, they recycle nutrients and regulate greenhouse gas emissions. However, little is known about the distribution of microorganisms across the landscape. To address this knowledge gap, this research project will study how different factors, such as agricultural management practices and soil properties, influence the distribution and function of microorganisms at local and broader spatial scales. The experiments will be conducted as part of the Landscape Biomass Project, a large-scale research and demonstration farm in central Iowa. Results from this project will generate data for modeling soil microbes and the processes that they perform. These models, in turn, will inform management decisions that promote soil carbon and nitrogen retention and minimize greenhouse gas emissions. Data collected as part of this project will strengthen cross-disciplinary research that involves the fields of ecology and biogeochemistry, agronomy, hydrology, forestry, and economics. The project will support international collaborations with soil modelers in the United Kingdom. It will foster training of undergraduate students in the biogeochemical sciences through hands-on field and laboratory experience. Finally, results will be presented to a diverse group of public and private stakeholders at on-site field presentations, meetings with a farmer advisory board, and at workshops with policy makers.