RUI: Physiological heterogeneity of plastic-associated microbial communities in freshwater Lake Lacawac

微塑料是尺寸小于5毫米的塑料颗粒，是一种常见的污染物，自第二次世界大战以来在环境中广泛积累。 由于微塑料是固体，它们代表了微生物可以定植的独特表面。 在海洋环境中，研究表明，这些与塑料相关的微生物群落与栖息在水柱中的微生物群落不同。 然而，塑料相关的微生物群落在淡水环境中是无处不在的，但得到了相当少的关注，即使微生物是在所有生态系统中的营养循环的重要球员。 这项研究将是同类研究中的第一项，旨在研究微塑料积累在改变淡水环境中的微生物群落以及基本代谢过程中可能发挥的作用。 该项目将支持夏季实地研究经验，为三个本科生每年夏天两个夏天。 这些实地经验将在宾夕法尼亚州的Lacawac Sanctuary Biological Field Station和环境教育中心进行-这是全球公认的淡水研究地点。 此外，学生将获得最先进的微生物群落分析软件程序的经验，并学习用于统计分析的关键编程语言。将两种微塑料（聚苯乙烯和聚对苯二甲酸乙二醇酯）与天然落叶沿着放置在生物反应器中，用宾夕法尼亚州拉卡瓦克湖的地表水喂养。 本科研究人员将每周监测生物反应器中的溶解氧，pH值，温度和电导率，持续24周。 为了研究与塑料相关的微生物群落的组成与天然碎片上发现的微生物群落的组成有何不同，学生们将每三周从每个生物反应器中收集微塑料，落叶和水的样本，持续24周。 将从这些样本中提取DNA，研究者将使用通用（细菌/古细菌）引物扩增16 S rRNA基因序列。 将对这些扩增子进行测序，并使用先进的统计软件确定每个群落的系统发育组成。 学生将根据他们的数据编写报告，并在地区和国家会议上进行研究演示，这将激励他们考虑未来的研究生学习。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并且通过使用基金会的知识价值进行评估，被认为值得支持。和更广泛的影响审查标准。

Microplastics, which are plastic particles less than 5 millimeters in size, are a common pollutant that have seen widespread accumulation in the environment since World War II. Because microplastics are solid, they represent a distinct surface that microorganisms can colonize. In marine environments, studies have shown that these plastic-associated microbial communities are distinct from those that inhabit the water column. However, plastic-associated microbial communities in freshwater environments are ubiquitous but have received considerably less attention even though microorganisms are essential players in nutrient cycles in all ecosystems. This study will be the first of its kind to investigate what role microplastic accumulation may play in altering microbial communities and, by extension, essential metabolic processes, in freshwater environments. This project will support summer field research experiences for three undergraduate students per summer for two summers. These field experiences will take place at the Lacawac Sanctuary Biological Field Station and Environmental Education Center in Pennsylvania — a globally recognized location for freshwater research. In addition, students will gain experience with state-of-the-art software programs for analyzing microbial communities as well as learn critical programming languages used for statistical analyses.Quantities of two microplastics (polystyrene and polyethylene terephthalate) along with natural leaf litter will be placed within bioreactors fed with surface water from Lake Lacawac, Pennsylvania. Undergraduate researchers will monitor dissolved oxygen, pH, temperature, and conductivity in the bioreactors on a weekly basis for 24 weeks. To investigate how the composition of plastic-associated microbial communities differs from those found on natural debris, students will collect samples of microplastics, leaf litter, and water from each bioreactor every three weeks for 24 weeks. DNA will be extracted from each of these samples and the investigators will amplify the 16S rRNA gene sequences using universal (bacterial/archaeal) primers. These amplicons will be sequenced and the phylogenetic composition of each community will be determined using advanced statistical software. Students will produce reports from their data and make research presentations at regional and national conferences, which will inspire them to consider graduate studies in the future.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.