Applying social evolution theory in microbial ecosystems

微生物，如细菌和真菌，是地球上最多样化和最丰富的生物体。进化理论和微生物学的最新进展表明，许多微生物表现出复杂的社会相互作用。合作、欺骗和交流等行为在微生物群落中广泛存在，通常需要生产称为公共产品的物质，如酶和信号分子。该项目的目标是通过微生物群落中的社会行为发展将进化和生态系统生态学联系起来的理论。然后，这一理论将被用来预测微生物相互作用和公共产品将如何影响地球仪周围的碳和养分循环。研究人员将建立计算机模型来模拟微生物规模的公共产品生产和生态系统规模的化学过程。进化理论很少被用来理解生物组织生态系统水平的过程。这项研究的第一个更广泛的影响将是使用进化理论来理解基本的生态系统功能。人类社会和自然生态系统依赖于微生物群落的功能。通过开发理论模型，这项研究将为从温室气体排放到海洋食物网营养循环的过程提供新的见解。该项目将为一名研究生和至少一名本科生提供跨学科培训。将开发以网络为基础的计算机软件，说明微生物生态学的理论原则，用于教学和推广工作。这些努力将通过本科课程和UCI现有的针对教师，少数民族高中学生和公众的计划来执行。

Microbes, such as bacteria and fungi, are the most diverse and abundant living organisms on the planet. Recent advances in evolutionary theory and microbiology have revealed that many microbes display complex social interactions. Behaviors such as cooperation, cheating, and communication are widespread in microbial communities and often require the production of substances called public goods, such as enzymes and signaling molecules. The goal of this project is to develop theory that links evolution and ecosystem ecology via social behaviors in microbial communities. This theory will then be used to predict how microbial interactions and public goods will affect the cycling of carbon and nutrients around the globe. The investigator will build computer models to simulate production of public goods at the microbe scale and chemical processes at the ecosystem scale.Evolutionary theory has rarely been used to understand processes at the ecosystem level of biological organization. The first broader impact of this study will be to use evolutionary theory to understand fundamental ecosystem functions. Human societies and natural ecosystems rely on the functioning of microbial communities. By developing theoretical models, this research will provide new insight into processes ranging from the emission of greenhouse gases to nutrient cycling in marine food webs. The project will provide interdisciplinary training to one graduate and at least one undergraduate student. Web-based computer software to illustrate theoretical principles in microbial ecology will be developed for use in teaching and outreach efforts. These efforts will be executed through undergraduate courses and an existing program at UCI that targets teachers, minority high school students, and the general public.