EAGER: The effects of soil moisture on fungal weathering, diversity, and abundance.

摘要非技术性的描述解释了该项目的更广泛意义土壤可以说是地球表面存在的最重要的物理资源。它对我们食物供应的增长和发展至关重要，土壤有助于调节大气的组成。尽管发挥了核心作用，但关于土壤形成过程的知识仍然非常初级。微生物活动在将岩石分解成肥沃的土壤方面起着主要作用，并确定微生物的主要机制和类型是一项持续的研究活动。真菌是这些微生物中的一类，很少被关注，但很可能是土壤生成的非常重要的贡献者。这个项目将密切关注土壤中真菌的丰度和分布，它们的活动与水分有效性的函数关系，以及它们在各种气候条件下在土壤形成中可能发挥的作用。项目的技术描述本项目将探索土壤水分与火成岩真菌风化之间的关系，估计真菌风化速率，并识别和量化真菌群落。这项研究将研究真菌群落对土壤水分减少(干旱)的反应，以及菌根真菌帮助植物应对水分胁迫的过程。这些测试将通过收集沿气候梯度的土壤样本进行，然后使用DNA和水通道蛋白(完整的膜蛋白)分析以及显微镜和光谱技术来询问这些样本。该项目将使用Catalina-Jemez临界区天文台和亚利桑那大学生物圈2号的景观演变天文台，这两个天文台提供了研究气候梯度过程的机会。来自一所以本科为主的学院的四名本科生将协助该项目，其结果将用于加强普通科学教育。

ABSTRACT A non-technical description explaining the broader significance of the projectSoil is arguably the most important physical resource that exists at the Earth's surface. It is essential for the growth and development of our food supply and soils help regulate the composition of the atmosphere. Despite this central role, knowledge of the processes of soil formation is still very rudimentary. Microbial activity has a principal role in breaking down rocks into fertile soil and identifying the major mechanisms and types of microorganisms is an ongoing research activity. Fungi are a class of these microbes that have received little attention, but likely are very important contributors to soil generation. This project will take a close look at the abundance and distribution of fungi in soils, their activity as a function of moisture availability, and the possible role they play in soil formation under a variety of climatic conditions.A technical description of the projectThis project will explore the relationship between moisture content of soils and fungal weathering of igneous rocks, estimate fungal weathering rates, and identify and quantify the fungal community. The study will examine responses of the fungal community to decreasing soil moisture content (drought) and the processes facilitated by mycorrhizal fungi to help plants cope with water stress. These will be tested by collecting soil samples along a climate gradient, and then interrogate these samples by using DNA and aquaporin (integral membrane proteins) analyses, and microscopic and spectroscopic techniques. The project will use the Catalina-Jemez Critical Zone Observatories and the Landscape Evolution Observatory at Biosphere 2 of University of Arizona, which provide opportunities to study processes along a climate gradient. Four undergraduates from a Primarily Undergraduate Institution will assist with the project and the results will be used to augment general science education.