RUI: SusChEM: Increasing Soil Enzymatic Function with Targeted Microbial Inocula

[1603741]古德，尼娜这项工作利用了最近的一项关键发现，即存在高功能污染土壤，即细菌群落已经适应了污染物。自由州立公园，新泽西州北部的一片棕地，就是一个例子。了解污染场地内增强生化功能的基础科学是最大限度地发挥修复潜力的必要步骤。该项目的目标是更好地了解高酶活性，并将这些知识应用于优化功能性土壤处理，并以经济有效、可持续的方式为工程解决方案提供信息。首先，发现高酶活性的机制基础将是对生态工程的一项新颖而令人兴奋的贡献，对污染场地的恢复具有深远的影响。其次，提出的实验将使用析因设计来确定是否：1 .土壤本身的非生物特性；土壤微生物群落对土壤功能的改善更为重要。第三，在土壤修复中，这项工作采用了来自受污染的、未受干扰的土壤的目标微生物群落。胞外酶活性的测量可作为土壤整体健康和功能的代表。本项目的具体目标是：1。通过研究酶活性异常高的污染土壤与功能较差的污染土壤的比较，阐明污染土壤中酶活性的驱动因素；确定微生物接种剂改善污染、低功能土壤功能的能力，并描述功能转化的时间过程。了解异常高酶活性背后的机制将指导寻找功能性和抗金属微生物群落的努力。这将促进土壤播种，并直接应用于恢复生态和植物修复的高成本效益方法。这项研究的结果和预测模型将告知实践者和工程师关于成功的微生物群落组成和功能转换的时间。pi将利用这个机会将他们的指导和专业知识扩展到位于自由州立公园旁边的自由科学中心。作为拨款的一部分，pi将与科学中心教育部门的同事合作，为学生访客举办研讨会和外展活动。

1603741Goodey, NinaThe proposed work leverages a recent key discovery, the existence of highly functional contaminated soils, that is, where bacterial communities have adapted to the contaminants. Liberty State Park, a brownfield site in Northern New Jersey, is one example. Understanding the underlying science of enhanced biochemical function within a contaminated site is an essential step in maximizing restoration potential. The goal of this project is to better understand the high enzymatic activity which has developed and apply this knowledge to optimize functional soil treatment and inform engineering solutions in a cost effective, sustainable manner First, finding the mechanistic basis for the high enzymatic activities will be a novel and exciting contribution to ecological engineering with far reaching implications for the restoration of contaminated sites. Second, the proposed experiments will use a factorial design to determine whether: 1. the abiotic properties of the soil itself, or, 2. the microbial communities of the soils are more important to improved function. Third, this work employs targeted microbial communities originating from contaminated, undisturbed soils, in soil restoration. Measurements of extracellular enzyme activity serve as a proxy for overall soil health and function. The specific objectives of this project are: 1. Elucidate the factors driving enzymatic activity in contaminated soil by studying contaminated soils with unusually high enzyme activity in comparison to less functional, contaminated soils, and, 2. Determine the ability of microbial inocula to improve the functionality of contaminated, low functioning soils, and characterize the time course of functional transformation. Understanding the mechanisms behind the unusually high enzymatic activities will guide efforts to find functional and metal-resistant microbial communities. This will facilitate soil seeding and have direct applications to a highly cost-effective approach in restoration ecology and phytoremediation. The findings of this research and the predictive model will inform practitioners and engineers about successful microbial community compositions and time to functional transformation. The PIs will use the opportunity to extend their mentorship and expertise in training to the Liberty Science Center, situated next to Liberty State Park. As part of this grant, the PIs will work with education colleagues at the Science Center to develop workshops and outreach activities for student visitors.