Experimental and theoretical trait-based approaches to optimizing algal biofuel polycultures

主要研究者：Litchman提案编号：1134215知识产权优点微藻是一种有前途的可再生原料，用于可持续的生物燃料生产，并为此提供了几个独特的优势，包括高生长率和光合效率，利用边际土地生产富含脂质的生物质，废水作为营养源的潜在用途，以及将其生物质（脂质）转化为生物燃料（生物柴油）的相对较低的能源需求。 强化藻类生物燃料生产的方法通常侧重于确定和种植显示能产生大量脂质的微藻物种的单一栽培。 然而，这些单一栽培，因为固有的生理权衡，可能不会利用养分和光的最大效率，容易受到其他物种的入侵，并可能表现出波动的生物量和脂质生产力。 相比之下，微藻混合培养可以潜在地规避这些生态生理权衡，并为藻类生物燃料生产提供更强大的平台，特别是在可扩展的开放式培养系统中。拟议研究的总体目标是设计多物种微藻群落，在不断变化的环境条件下优化资源利用，生物质生产和脂质积累，同时提高对病原体和有害物种入侵的抵抗力。 为此，许多藻类物种的多样性的生态生理特性将进行分析，以推断这些特性之间的权衡，并从这个分析中，微藻财团的合适的物种将被确定，最大化多个目标函数的过程约束下。 数学模型，结合实验室实验的参数估计和模型验证，将被用来评估设计的混养社区的动态行为，并确定那些最好的性能特点相对于各自的单一文化。 最有前途的微藻社区将进一步调查的可扩展性，使用封闭式光生物反应器和开放式池塘养殖system.Broader ImpactsThe拟议的教育和推广活动将提供K-12学生和教师的经验，通过生物能源主题的凯洛格生物站（KBS）GK-12生物能源可持续性项目，从事当地农村学校的生态和可持续性研究。 PI将在夏季接待一名高中教师，以开发适合年龄的，关于生物能源，可持续性和水生生态学的实践教育模块。 博士后助理将接受跨学科研究的培训，结合数学建模，生态学原理和生物能源应用，并将与来自五大湖生物能源研究中心（GLBRC）的研究人员进行互动，就使用多元文化进行生物燃料生产交换意见。

PI: LitchmanProposal Number: 1134215Intellectual MeritMicroalgae are a promising renewable feedstock for sustainable biofuel production, and offer several unique advantages for this purpose, including high growth rate and photosynthetic efficiency, use of marginal land for lipid-rich biomass production, potential use of wastewater as a nutrient source, and relatively low energy requirements for converting its biomass (lipids) into biofuel (biodiesel). Approaches to intensification of algal biofuel production typically focus on identifying and growing monocultures of microalgal species shown to produce high amounts of lipids. However, these monocultures, because of inherent physiological trade-offs, may not utilize nutrients and light for maximum efficiency, are susceptible to invasions by other species, and can exhibit fluctuations in biomass and lipid productivity. In contrast, microalgal polycultures can potentially circumvent these eco-physiological tradeoffs and provide a more robust platform for algal biofuels production, particularly in scalable open cultivation systems. The overall goal of the proposed research is to design multispecies microalgal communities that optimize resource utilization, biomass production, and lipid accumulation under changing environmental conditions while providing increased resistance to pathogens and invasions by nuisance species. Towards this end, the diverse eco-physiological traits of many algal species will be analyzed to deduce the trade-offs among these traits, and from this analysis, the appropriate species for microalgal consortia will be identified that maximize multiple goal functions under process constraints. Mathematical models, combined with laboratory experiments for parameter estimation and model validation, will be used to assess the dynamic behavior of the designed polyculture communities, and identify those with best performance characteristics relative to their respective monocultures. The most promising microalgal communities will be further investigated for scalability using enclosed photobioreactors and open pond cultivation systems.Broader ImpactsThe proposed education and outreach activities will offer K-12 student and teacher experiences in bioenergy topics through the Kellogg Biological Station (KBS) GK-12 Bioenergy Sustainability Project, which engages local rural schools in ecological and sustainability research. The PI will host a high school teacher during the summer to develop age-appropriate, hands-on educational modules on bionergy, sustainability, and aquatic ecology. A postdoctoral associate will be trained in interdisciplinary research combining mathematical modeling, ecological principles, and bioenergy applications, and will interact with the researchers from the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC) to exchange ideas on the use of polycultures for biofuel production.