Contribution of comammox bacteria to soil nitrification

该项目旨在了解澳大利亚土壤中新发现的完全硝化细菌--Comammox细菌的多样性、活性和环境相关性，并与其他典型的硝化原核生物相比，评估它们在硝化过程中的相对贡献。氮素转化是关键的微生物过程，在陆地生态系统中，硝化作用主要通过一氧化二氮的排放和硝酸盐的淋失来造成氮素的损失。预期的结果将发展关于COAMMOX细菌的新知识，并为改进战略提供新的见解，以操纵硝化过程，以提高氮素利用效率和可持续农业管理。

This project aims to understand the diversity, activity and environmental relevance of comammox bacteria, the newly-discovered complete nitrifiers, in Australian soils, and to evaluate their relative contributions to nitrification processes compared to other canonical nitrifying prokaryotes. Nitrogen transformations are pivotal microbial processes, with nitrification largely responsible for nitrogen losses through nitrous oxide emissions and nitrate leaching in the terrestrial ecosystems. The expected outcomes will develop new knowledge on the comammox bacteria and provide novel insights into refined strategies to manipulate nitrification processes for improved nitrogen use efficiency and sustainable agricultural management.