DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Semiarid Soil Microbial Response to Global Change

微生物调节了许多重要的生态系统服务，但人们对它们的了解仍然相对较少。这项研究考察了微生物--土壤中的细菌和真菌--如何有助于草原生态系统应对气候变化的能力。荒漠草原土壤具有高度的微生物多样性，但收集、识别和解释这种多样性仍然是一个挑战。基因组学工具将被用来鉴定不同环境条件下草原土壤中的微生物。这些关于微生物群落组成的信息将与以前的微生物功能测量联系起来，以预测微生物及其相关植物群落将如何应对气候变化。草原提供了许多造福人类的生态系统服务，但它们正在迅速变化，以应对气候变化和人类土地利用。这项研究的结果将与新墨西哥州中部的塞维莱塔国家野生动物保护区合作向公众公布。避难所新游客中心的教育材料和展品将在此项目的基础上开发。此外，研究人员还将参加由新墨西哥大学生物系协调的一项新的外展活动--初级科学家外展计划。这项活动的目标是来自代表性不足群体的4年级和5年级学生，然后参与由研究科学家协调的动手活动。

Microbes mediate many important ecosystem services yet remain relatively poorly understood. This research examines how microbes - the bacteria and fungi that occur in soils - contribute to the ability of grassland ecosystems to respond to climate change. Desert grassland soils harbor high microbial diversity, but collecting, identifying and interpreting this diversity remains a challenge. Genomic tools will be used to identify the microbes in grassland soils under different environmental conditions. This information on microbial community composition will be linked with previous measures of microbial function in order to predict how microbes and their associated plant communities will respond to climate change. Grasslands provide many ecosystem services that benefit humans, yet they are changing rapidly in response to climate change and human land use. Results from this study will be communicated to the public in collaboration with the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge in central New Mexico. Educational materials and exhibits for the Refuge's new Visitors' Center will be developed based on this project. In addition, the researchers will participate in the Junior Scientist Outreach Program, a new outreach activity coordinated by the University of New Mexico Department of Biology. This activity targets 4th and 5th grade students from under-represented groups and engages then in hands-on activities coordinated by the research scientists.