Antibiotic-producing bacteria are ubiquitous in soils, but the significance of antibiotic interactions to microbial community ecology and evolution is not well understood. In particular, there is little information on the frequency of different types of interactions (inhibitory, antibiotic induction, mutualistic, or exploitative) among microbes in soil, or on the fitness of soil microbes possessing distinct inhibitory phenotypes. This research will develop molecular tools and quantitative models for use in exploring the significance of antibiotic inhibitory interactions to microbial community dynamics in soil. Soil microbes remain a significant source of medically important antibiotics, and are believed to contain the majority of the worlds unexplored biotic diversity. Research on this project will provide tools and information critical to enhancing our understanding of the diversity and dynamics of soil microbes. In addition, this project will support the education of undergraduate and graduate students as well as a post-doctoral scientist, and will support continued collaborative relationships with female collaborators at multiple small colleges.
