Linking Microbial Functioning to the Fate of Carbon in Soil

到2050年，世界人口预计将达到97亿；然而，由于土地用途变化和土壤退化，可用于粮食和纤维生产的土地数量正在稳步减少。土壤微生物组介导关键的生态系统产品和服务，有助于土壤健康、土壤碳 (C) 储存、养分循环和温室气体 (GHG) 平衡。使用专注于特定功能组的宏基因组方法将土壤微生物组与生物地球化学过程联系起来，将有助于发现具有独特功能的微生物，增加我们对驱动与土壤碳和氮（N）损失相关的生物途径的机制的理解，并评估农业管理对微生物多样性和生物地球化学功能的影响程度。表征与可持续农业系统管理相关的微生物组可能使我们能够增强土壤生物多样性和土壤健康，同时减少养分损失并增加土壤碳储存和作物生产力，以适应不断增长的全球人口。 在拟议的研究计划中，学生将获得应用现场采样技术和实验设计方面的高技术尖端实验室技能和经验，为他们在所选职业中成功担任领导角色做好准备。拟议的研究计划将揭示生态过程和农业微生物组之间的联系，以表征对生态系统和土壤健康产生积极影响的农业管理实践，并更好地了解控制微生物碳和氮转化的机制。这项研究将有助于确定农业管理实践，提高系统水平的氮保留和土壤碳封存的长期能力，通过与加拿大企业、非政府组织、社区组织和加拿大生产商的合作，实现农业食品领域的创新发展。加深对微生物碳和氮动态的了解将有助于农业部门适应不断变化的气候，并有可能从长远角度改善加拿大的粮食安全和主权。对土壤微生物组研究的投资及其在加拿大农业中的实际应用将使加拿大能够通过对促进生态系统服务的农业管理进行评估来参与碳抵消市场，并成为可持续、气候意识农业食品系统开发的领导者。

The world's population is expected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050; however, the amount of land available for food and fibre production is steadily decreasing due to land use change and soil degradation. The soil microbiome mediates key ecosystem goods & services, contributing to soil health, soil carbon (C) storage, nutrient cycling, and the greenhouse gas (GHG) balance. Linking the soil microbiome with biogeochemical processes using metagenomic approaches focused on specific functional groups will allow the discovery of microorganisms with unique functional abilities, increase our understanding of the mechanisms driving biological pathways related to soil C and nitrogen (N) losses, and assess to what extent microbial diversity and biogeochemical functioning are affected by agricultural management. Characterizing microbiomes that are associated with sustainable agricultural systems management may allow us to enhance soil biodiversity and soil health, while decreasing nutrient losses and increasing soil C storage and crop productivity for a growing global population. Within the proposed research program, students will obtain highly technical cutting-edge lab skills and experience in applied field sampling techniques and experimental design, preparing them for successful leadership roles in their chosen career. The proposed research program will unravel links between ecological processes and agricultural microbiomes to characterize agricultural management practices that positively influence ecosystem and soil health, and to better understand the mechanisms controlling microbial C and N transformations. This research will help identify agricultural management practices that improve systems-level N retention and the long-term capacity for soil C sequestration, enabling innovative development within the agri-food sector via collaboration with Canadian-owned companies, NGOs, community organizations, and Canadian producers. Improved understanding of microbial C and N dynamics will help the agricultural sector adapt to a changing climate and potentially improve Canadian food security and sovereignty in the long-term. Investment in soil microbiome research with practical applications to Canadian agriculture will enable Canada to potentially participate in a C offset market through valuation of agricultural stewardship that promotes ecosystem services, and to be a leader in sustainable, climate-conscious agri-food systems development.