Dr. Susan Leschine, of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, proposes a study of a group of microorgnaisms new to science: cellulose degrading, nitrogen fixing, and anaerobic bacteria. The ecology community is excited about their discovery and possible roles in carbon cycling. Results of these studies will contribute to our understanding of the phenotypic and genotypic diversity present among anaerobic cellulolytic microorganisms, their quantitative contribution to cellulose breakdown, and their numerical distribution in natural environments. The possible role of physiological interactions with non-cellulolytic microorganisms will also be investigated. These investigations are intended to fill a gap in our understanding of the dynamics of carbon cycling in natural environments. Moreover, the techniques devised to conduct this study will be generally useful for identifying introduced (e.g., genetically engineered) as well as indigenous microorganisms in diverse environments.
