EAGER: The effects of soil moisture on fungal weathering, diversity, and abundance.

摘要：一种解释该项目更广泛意义的非技术描述土壤可以说是存在于地球表面的最重要的物理资源。它对我们的粮食供应的生长和发展至关重要，土壤有助于调节大气的组成。尽管有这样的中心作用，但对土壤形成过程的认识仍然非常初级。微生物活动在将岩石分解成肥沃土壤中起着主要作用，确定微生物的主要机制和类型是一项正在进行的研究活动。真菌是一类很少受到关注的微生物，但很可能是土壤生成的重要贡献者。该项目将密切关注真菌在土壤中的丰度和分布，它们的活动作为水分有效性的函数，以及它们在各种气候条件下在土壤形成中可能发挥的作用。本项目将探索土壤水分含量与火成岩真菌风化的关系，估算真菌风化速率，识别和量化真菌群落。该研究将研究真菌群落对土壤含水量下降（干旱）的反应，以及菌根真菌帮助植物应对水分胁迫的过程。这些将通过沿着气候梯度收集土壤样本进行测试，然后通过DNA和水通道蛋白（整体膜蛋白）分析以及显微镜和光谱技术来询问这些样本。该项目将利用位于亚利桑那大学生物圈2号的卡塔利娜-杰梅斯关键区观测站和景观演变观测站，这为研究气候梯度的过程提供了机会。四名来自初级本科院校的本科生将协助该项目，研究结果将用于加强普通科学教育。

ABSTRACT A non-technical description explaining the broader significance of the projectSoil is arguably the most important physical resource that exists at the Earth's surface. It is essential for the growth and development of our food supply and soils help regulate the composition of the atmosphere. Despite this central role, knowledge of the processes of soil formation is still very rudimentary. Microbial activity has a principal role in breaking down rocks into fertile soil and identifying the major mechanisms and types of microorganisms is an ongoing research activity. Fungi are a class of these microbes that have received little attention, but likely are very important contributors to soil generation. This project will take a close look at the abundance and distribution of fungi in soils, their activity as a function of moisture availability, and the possible role they play in soil formation under a variety of climatic conditions.A technical description of the projectThis project will explore the relationship between moisture content of soils and fungal weathering of igneous rocks, estimate fungal weathering rates, and identify and quantify the fungal community. The study will examine responses of the fungal community to decreasing soil moisture content (drought) and the processes facilitated by mycorrhizal fungi to help plants cope with water stress. These will be tested by collecting soil samples along a climate gradient, and then interrogate these samples by using DNA and aquaporin (integral membrane proteins) analyses, and microscopic and spectroscopic techniques. The project will use the Catalina-Jemez Critical Zone Observatories and the Landscape Evolution Observatory at Biosphere 2 of University of Arizona, which provide opportunities to study processes along a climate gradient. Four undergraduates from a Primarily Undergraduate Institution will assist with the project and the results will be used to augment general science education.