Restoring ecological function to industrial barrens via manipulation of soil chemical environments

人为的工业活动向环境中释放有毒污染物，污染空气、水和土壤系统。土壤污染对土壤微生物组和降低微生物功能（包括酶的产生）产生不利影响，使一些土壤变得贫瘠和不活跃。贫瘠的土壤不能生长植物，也不能为其环境提供生态系统服务。首席研究员的研究小组先前的研究表明，在土壤中添加人工根渗出液（AREs）可以显著提高未污染的植被土壤中的微生物代谢和呼吸速率。然而，关于添加are对污染和贫瘠土壤中微生物活性的影响的数据和基础知识非常有限。该项目的总体目标是研究在被污染和贫瘠的土壤中添加AREs对土壤微生物呼吸、酶活性、植物生产力和微生物污染物降解潜力的影响。为了推进这一目标，项目研究小组将研究由天然根分泌物中化合物混合物组成的ARE溶液的添加和影响。该项目的成功完成将通过产生新的数据和基础知识来造福社会，这些数据和基础知识可用于指导设计和实施更可持续和更具成本效益的解决方案，以修复和恢复受污染和贫瘠的土壤。对社会的额外好处将通过学生教育和培训来实现，包括指导蒙特克莱尔州立大学的一名博士后、一名研究生和两名本科生，这是一所r2评级的西班牙裔服务机构（HSI）。土壤提供重要的生态服务，包括养分循环和碳储存。土壤污染物干扰了这些生态服务，降低了微生物的功能，使一些土壤变得贫瘠。以前的研究表明，人工根分泌物（AREs）可以增加未污染的植被土壤中的微生物代谢和呼吸速率，但它们对污染的贫瘠土壤的影响尚不清楚。该项目的目标是调查在污染（后工业）和贫瘠土壤中添加AREs所导致的土壤微生物呼吸、酶活性和植物生产力的变化。拟议的AREs将由天然根分泌物中发现的化合物混合物组成。本研究的具体目标是：1)量化人工添加are对新泽西州3个后工业用地模型污染和贫瘠土壤微生物呼吸和功能的最佳剂量和影响；2)比较易于实施的单一人工根系分泌物添加计划与劳动密集型重复人工根系分泌物添加计划在修复污染土壤中的效果；3)评价添加ARE刺激污染土壤中多环芳烃（PAHs）微生物降解的潜力。该项目的成功完成将产生新的数据和基本知识，包括微生物从休眠中唤醒、细胞外酶活性的变化和/或土壤有机质有效性等，从而对污染和贫瘠土壤中添加AREs后微生物活动的恢复和维持产生变革性影响。为了实现该项目的教育和培训目标，首席研究员（PI）建议利用蒙特克莱尔州立大学现有的项目，如路易斯·斯托克斯少数民族参与联盟（LSAMP），从代表性不足的群体中招募和指导本科生参与该项目。此外，研究小组计划沟通和分享项目的研究成果与地方和国家管理人员和利益相关者有兴趣的新战略/解决方案的实施，以振兴污染（后工业）和贫瘠的土壤在新泽西州。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Anthropogenic industrial activities release toxic pollutants into the environment that contaminate air, water, and soil systems. Soil contamination adversely impacts soil microbiomes and lower microbial function, including enzyme production, rendering some soils barren and inactive. Barren soils do not grow plants and fail to provide ecosystem services to their environment. Previous research by the Principal Investigator’s research group has shown that the addition of artificial root exudates (AREs) to soils can significantly increase microbial metabolism and respiration rates in uncontaminated, vegetated soils. However, very limited data and fundamental knowledge are available about the impact of ARE addition on microbial activity in contaminated and barren soils. The overarching goal of this project is to investigate changes in soil microbial respiration, enzyme activity, plant productivity, and microbial contaminant degradation potential that result from the addition of AREs to contaminated and barren soils. To advance this goal, the project research team will investigate the addition and impact of ARE solutions consisting of mixtures of compounds that are found in natural root exudates. The successful completion of this project will benefit society through the generation of new data and fundamental knowledge that could be used to guide the design and implementation of more sustainable and cost-effective solutions from the remediation and restoration of contaminated and barren soils. Additional benefits to society will be achieved through student education and training including the mentoring of one post-doctoral fellow, one graduate student, and two undergraduate students at Montclair State University, an R2-rated Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). Soils provide vital ecological services that include nutrient cycling and carbon storage. Soil contaminants interfere with these ecological services, decreasing microbial function and rendering some soils barren. Previous research has shown that artificial root exudates (AREs) can increase microbial metabolism and respiration rates in uncontaminated, vegetated soils, but their effects on contaminated, barren soils are not known. The goal of this project is to investigate changes in soil microbial respiration, enzyme activity, and plant productivity that result from the addition AREs to contaminated (post-industrial) and barren soils. The proposed AREs will consist of mixtures of compounds that are found in natural root exudates. The specific objectives of the research are to 1) quantify the optimal doses and effects of artificial ARE addition on microbial respiration and function in model contaminated and barren soils from 3 post-industrial sites in New Jersey; 2) compare the effectiveness of easy-to-implement single - versus labor-intensive repeated artificial root exudates addition schedules in revitalizing contaminated soils; and 3) evaluate the potential of ARE additions to stimulate microbial degradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in contaminated soils. The successful completion of this project has the potential for transformative impact though the generation of new data and fundamental knowledge on the restoration and maintenance of microbial activity following the addition of AREs to contaminated and baren soils including microbial awakening from dormancy, changes in extracellular enzyme activity, and/or soil organic matter availability. To implement the education and training goals of the project, the Principal Investigator (PI) proposes to leverage existing programs at Montclair State University such as the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) to recruit and mentor undergraduate students from underrepresented groups to work on the project. In addition, the research team plans to communicate and share the project research findings with local and state administrators and stakeholders that are interested in the implementation of novel strategies/solutions to revitalize contaminated (post-industrial) and barren soils in New Jersey.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.