The trillions of microorganisms that inhabit soils are key components of ecosystems and they are integral to the many services that ecosystems provide. A new DNA sequencing method will be used to catalog, in a level of detail that has not been achieved before, microbial diversity in natural soils along a successional dune chronosequence. The treasure trove of novel bacterial species that is likely to be discovered will enhance our understanding of patterns, causes, and consequences of changing microbial diversity and composition. It will contribute to our understanding of the consequences of introducing microbes into ecosystems for specific purposes such as bioremediation, and to our understanding of factors that may limit the distribution and abundance of potentially disease-causing bacteria. This research will result in the cross-disciplinary training of one doctoral and three to six undergraduate and high school students in soil biochemistry, microbiology, and molecular ecology. Cooperation with the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science (MSMS) will result in the recruitment of future undergraduate students for summer research projects. These projects will also help to expand state of the art science projects into a learning experience that will impact High School classrooms. Student research will be highlighted in state competitions such as the State Engineering Fair and the young scientist division at the Mississippi Academy of Sciences.
Microorganisms are a core driver of energy and nutrient flow and affect organism and ecosystem health. The majority of living eukaryotic organisms, including plants and humans, rely upon microorganisms to maintain vitatlity, growth, and health. Underlying the presence and activity of microbes, a major habitat of soil microbes is soil. Soils have been shown to contain enormous numbers of differety microorganisms types (species) and contain upwards of 5% of the earth's microbial biomass. Soils are thus a reservoir of diversity that feeds no only plant growth in agricultural systems, sometimes causes disease, drive earth's major biogeochemical cycles in unison with plants, and are thus critical to survival of "higher" (eukaryotic) life. Studying factors that impact the composition of microbial life in soil, and how it relates to the functioning (services to promote life) of native and disturbed ecosystems, can provide important insights into how systems are changing due to human activity, but also lessons in how we should manage soils for the production of food, feed, and fiber. Humans, in particular scientists, have made significant discoveries that have changed the way that we (humans) interact with the world. These discoveries have overwhelmingly been viewed as positive, however, science and scientist are limited in our understanding of the intricasies of an almost infinitely complex natural world. Thus, as new discoveries are made, new and better ways of working with nature, in support of human welfare are found. Indeed, new discoveries also support the welfare of all life, which we know is intricately tied to our own survival. The work supported for this NSF grant have contributed to the understanding soils and the earth's microbes. Humans and our quest for understanding have also been made. In particular 2 PhD students, one postdoc, 3 high school students, 1 high school teacher, and four undergraduate research experiences were wholly or partially funded by the grant. The two PhD students that have graduated from my laboratory are working in other University labs (both are female). Two high school students both are finishing college One was an Asian American female and the other a American-hispanic male. The female African American student also had plans for college, but her final plans could not be confirmed The High School teacher moved to Houston, Texas to work with in the industry of plant propagation. He was excited about his research experience in the lab and taking back experiments to use to teach plant-soil ecology to students. The four undergraduate students research experiences were carried out by females. One was African American, and the other three caucasion. Three presented research results at regional conferences. Two are still in college, and two have graduated. I know that one of the latter chose to workas peace corp volunteer before entering graduate school in plant-microbial sciences. I and a post doc worked with a local elementary school to show students how microbes grow and to learn at how easy it is to come up with hypotheses. I volunteered at the Blacksburg Children Museum development group to help raise funds to create a museum and to work at events giving students opportunities to do science experiments, and make observations about plants, soils, and bacteria. Early educational experiences appear to be key elements of success.
