FIBR Planning: Microbiological Networks - Hydrologic, Biogeochemical, and Microbial Interactions within Linked Terrestrial-Aquatic Biological Systems

陆地-水生生物系统（TABS），如水源集水区和洪泛平原河流，通过系统组成部分之间的水文联系而整合在一起。标签可以看作是动态和自适应的“微生物网络”，交换基因、细胞、营养物质和电子供体/受体沿着水文流动路径。该规划项目的重点是制定一项研究计划，以解决以下问题：1)tab内的微生物组合如何与动态水文过程相互作用，形成微生物网络，这些网络的出现如何影响微生物组合内的系统发育和功能多样性？2)微生物网络如何影响tab内更大尺度的生物过程和模式（例如，生物地球化学模式和宏观生物分布）？研讨会将聚集微生物学、生物地球化学、景观生态学、地球科学、模拟建模和网络理论方面的专家，撰写一篇描述微生物网络概念的综合论文，并起草一份研究计划。智力优势：微生物网络的概念为微生物学与水文和生态系统科学的整合提供了一个框架。具体来说，这一概念将提高对以下方面的理解：1)地质水文对微生物多样性的控制，从而更好地理解对气候变化、土地利用行动和水文流量调节等扰动的生物反应；2)相互关联的微生物组合影响tab内生物地球化学循环的机制，从而为研究景观中微生物多样性的重要性创建一个正式的框架。更广泛的影响：该项目侧重于巴尔的摩LTER站点（马里兰州）和乌马提拉河洪泛平原（俄勒冈州），并包括将霍华德大学（为巴尔的摩LTER站点附近的非裔美国人提供服务）和蓝山社区学院（为乌马提拉印第安人保留地的印第安人提供服务）的本科教育项目合并的战略。此外，项目活动为早期职业科学家提供了实质性的机会，使他们能够发挥领导作用，并在发展新的科学一体化方面与经验丰富的科学家进行互动。

Terrestrial-Aquatic Biological Systems (TABS) such as headwater catchments and flood-plain rivers are integrated by hydrologic linkages between system components. TABS can be viewed as dynamic and adaptive "microbiological networks" that exchange genes, cells, nutrients, and electron donors/acceptors along hydrologic flow paths. This planning project focuses on development of a research plan to address the following questions: 1) How do microbial assemblages within TABS interact with dynamic hydrologic processes to form microbiological networks and how does the emergence of these networks influence phylogenetic and functional diversity within microbial assemblages? and 2) How do microbiological networks influence coarser-scale biological processes and patterns within TABS (e.g., patterns in biogeochemistry and the distribution of macroscopic organisms)? A workshop will be held to gather experts in microbiology, biogeochemistry, landscape ecology, geosciences, simulation modeling, and network theory to develop a synthesis paper describing the concept of microbiological networks and craft a research proposal to study them. Intellectual Merit: The concept of microbiological networks provides a framework for integrating microbiology with hydrologic and ecosystem science. Specifically, the concept will yield improved understanding of: 1) geo-hydrologic controls on microbial diversity, leading to better understanding of biological responses to perturbations such as climate change, land use actions, and hydrologic flow regulation; and 2) the mechanisms by which linked microbial assemblages influence biogeochemical cycling within TABS, thereby creating a formal framework for studying the importance of microbial diversity in landscapes. Broader Impacts: This project focuses on the Baltimore LTER site (Maryland) and Umatilla River Flood Plain (Oregon) and includes a strategy to incorporate undergraduate education programs at Howard University (serving African Americans near the Baltimore LTER site) and Blue Mountain Community College (serving Native Americans on the Umatilla Indian Reservation). Further, project activities provide substantive opportunities for early-career scientists to take leadership roles and to interact with well established scientists in the development of new scientific integration.