Linking Microbial Functioning to the Fate of Carbon in Soil

到2050年，世界人口预计将达到97亿；然而，由于土地利用变化和土壤退化，可用于粮食和纤维生产的土地数量正在稳步减少。土壤微生物群调节着关键的生态系统商品和服务，有助于土壤健康、土壤碳(C)储存、养分循环和温室气体(GHG)平衡。利用以特定功能群为中心的微基因组学方法将土壤微生物群与生物地球化学过程联系起来，将有助于发现具有独特功能的微生物，增加我们对土壤C和N损失相关生物途径驱动机制的了解，并评估农业管理对微生物多样性和生物地球化学功能的影响程度。确定与可持续农业系统管理相关的微生物群的特征可能使我们能够增强土壤生物多样性和土壤健康，同时减少养分损失，增加土壤碳储存和作物生产力，以应对不断增长的全球人口。在拟议的研究计划中，学生将获得高度技术性的尖端实验室技能和应用现场采样技术和实验设计方面的经验，为他们在所选职业中担任成功的领导角色做好准备。拟议的研究计划将揭示生态过程和农业微生物群之间的联系，以表征对生态系统和土壤健康产生积极影响的农业管理实践，并更好地了解控制微生物碳和氮转化的机制。这项研究将有助于确定农业管理做法，以改善系统水平的氮保持和土壤碳固定的长期能力，通过与加拿大所有的公司、非政府组织、社区组织和加拿大生产者的合作，实现农业食品部门的创新发展。提高对微生物碳和氮动态的了解将有助于农业部门适应不断变化的气候，并从长期来看潜在地改善加拿大的粮食安全和主权。对土壤微生物组研究的投资以及对加拿大农业的实际应用将使加拿大能够通过评估促进生态系统服务的农业管理能力，潜在地参与碳抵消市场，并成为可持续的、有气候意识的农业-食品系统开发的领导者。

The world's population is expected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050; however, the amount of land available for food and fibre production is steadily decreasing due to land use change and soil degradation. The soil microbiome mediates key ecosystem goods & services, contributing to soil health, soil carbon (C) storage, nutrient cycling, and the greenhouse gas (GHG) balance. Linking the soil microbiome with biogeochemical processes using metagenomic approaches focused on specific functional groups will allow the discovery of microorganisms with unique functional abilities, increase our understanding of the mechanisms driving biological pathways related to soil C and nitrogen (N) losses, and assess to what extent microbial diversity and biogeochemical functioning are affected by agricultural management. Characterizing microbiomes that are associated with sustainable agricultural systems management may allow us to enhance soil biodiversity and soil health, while decreasing nutrient losses and increasing soil C storage and crop productivity for a growing global population. Within the proposed research program, students will obtain highly technical cutting-edge lab skills and experience in applied field sampling techniques and experimental design, preparing them for successful leadership roles in their chosen career. The proposed research program will unravel links between ecological processes and agricultural microbiomes to characterize agricultural management practices that positively influence ecosystem and soil health, and to better understand the mechanisms controlling microbial C and N transformations. This research will help identify agricultural management practices that improve systems-level N retention and the long-term capacity for soil C sequestration, enabling innovative development within the agri-food sector via collaboration with Canadian-owned companies, NGOs, community organizations, and Canadian producers. Improved understanding of microbial C and N dynamics will help the agricultural sector adapt to a changing climate and potentially improve Canadian food security and sovereignty in the long-term. Investment in soil microbiome research with practical applications to Canadian agriculture will enable Canada to potentially participate in a C offset market through valuation of agricultural stewardship that promotes ecosystem services, and to be a leader in sustainable, climate-conscious agri-food systems development.