Microbial Observatories: Second Annual Microbial Observatories Meeting: Building a National Network, to be held Fall 2003 in Arlington, VA

微生物负责许多对生物圈功能至关重要的过程。美国国家科学基金会（NSF）微生物观察站（MO）项目支持综合性研究，探索新型微生物，它们在群体和群落中的相互作用，以及它们在环境中进行过程的生理、生物化学和基因组学方面的关系。通过MO项目资助的研究人员使用各种分子生物学和微生物学技术直接检查微生物群落。这项工作导致了新的微生物谱系的发现，增加了我们对微生物群落复杂性和多样性的理解，并有助于将微生物分类群与各种自然环境中的关键生态系统过程联系起来，从南极湖泊或黄石温泉的极端环境到更普遍的环境，如农业和森林土壤，海洋或淡水系统。通过MO项目资助的研究人员将聚集在一起举办一个科学研讨会，作为1)分享采样、新方法、数据库连接、环境基因组学和宏基因组学以及合成方面的新发现和想法的一种手段；2)确定可在国家范围内长期协调MO活动的具体、正式方式；3)探索未来微生物生命研究的思路和方向。这项工作的具体目标是讨论如何通过一个协调的网络将微生物观测项目的活动联系起来，该网络将在所有微生物观测组织之间建立综合和协同作用。除了美国国家科学基金会资助的研究人员外，目前通过美国国家科学基金会微生物生物学博士后项目资助的博士后助理，包括科学界代表性不足的少数民族，也被邀请参加本次研讨会。

Microbes are responsible for many processes that are vital to biosphere function. The National Science Foundation (NSF) Microbial Observatories (MO) program supports integrative studies that explore novel microorganisms, their interactions in consortia and communities, and aspects of their physiology, biochemistry and genomics in relationship to the processes that they carry out in the environment. Investigators funded through the MO program use a variety of molecular biology and microbiology techniques to directly examine microbial communities. This work has resulted in the discovery of novel microbial lineages, increased our understanding of the complexity and diversity of microbial communities, and helped to link microbial taxa to critical ecosystem processes in a wide variety of natural environments, ranging from the extremes of Antarctic lakes or Yellowstone hot springs to more ubiquitous environments such as agricultural and forest soils, and marine or freshwater systems.A scientific workshop that brings together researchers funded through the MO program is proposed as a means to 1) share new findings and ideas on sampling, new methods, database linkages, environmental genomics and metagenomics, and synthesis; 2) identify specific, formal ways that MO activities can be coordinated nationally over the long term; and 3) explore ideas and directions for the future of microbial life research. The specific objective of this work is to discuss ways to link activities of Microbial Observatories projects through a coordinated network that will build synthesis and synergy between all MOs. In addition to the MO-funded researchers, postdoctoral associates who are currently funded through the NSF Microbial Biology postdoctoral program, including underrepresented minorities in science, have been invited to attend this workshop.