Atmospheric carbon fixation: a novel microbial process in Antarctic soils

这个项目旨在挑战我们对碳固定的全球理解。在大多数生态系统中，光合作用支持高营养生命，但在南极沙漠土壤中没有光合作用的遗传证据。该项目将确定大气化学营养的重要性，这是一种微生物驱动的过程，基于大气气体的消耗，它被认为支持营养匮乏的南极沙漠土壤的能量维持和生物量同化。此外，该项目将确定这些过程是否正在构建土壤微生物群落，特别是在应对气候变化方面。预期的项目成果是关于生命营养极限下初级生产的知识。这应该会带来显著的好处，比如我们对生物科学的认识转变为一种新的初级生产的极简主义模式。

This project aims to challenge our global understanding of carbon fixation. In most ecosystems, phototrophy supports higher-trophic life, yet no genetic evidence for photosynthesis exists in Antarctic desert soils. The project will determine the significance of atmospheric chemotrophy, a microbial driven process based on the consumption of atmospheric gases that it is proposed supports energy maintenance and biomass assimilation in nutrient-starved Antarctic desert soils. Additionally, the project will establish if these processes are structuring soil microbial communities, particularly in response to climate change. The expected project outcome is knowledge of primary production at the nutritional limits of life. This should provide significant benefit, such as a shift in our knowledge of the biological sciences as a new minimalistic mode of primary production.