Using caves as a model for microbial community adaptation under starved conditions, the research will integrate a number of methods from the biological, geological and chemical sciences. Within biology, molecular techniques will be used to asses the size and structure of the communities present, the genes expressed and whether parasites, such as bacterial viruses, play a role. Using alternative techniques for cultivation, the research also aims to determine whether mutually beneficial interactions between species are important factors for survival. Methods from chemistry and materials science will address how and why starved microbial species affect the local chemistry of the surfaces on which they grow, while techniques in geology will make it possible to determine what role geochemistry plays in diversity under starvation. Together, the results obtained should significantly contribute to our understanding of the interactions and processes microbial communities use to survive extreme starvation.
In a broader context, this research will address one of the outstanding questions in microbial ecology; why are the majority of microbial species in the environment non-culturable? Most microbial species in nature are living under conditions of extreme starvation, in which they may rely on mutualistic interactions with other cells in order to survive. Such interactions might limit the growth of many microbes in tradtional laboratory culture media. If this is the case, knowledge learned from this project could significantly increase the number and type of bacterial species that can be grown under laboratory conditions. The isolation of such species could greatly benefit not just our understanding of microbial activity in the environment, but provide species with important traits for the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. The research described will be carried out in a primarily undergraduate research laboratory. By involving undergraduate students in this advanced research, they develop practical and critical thinking skills, more effective time management and an increased ability to communicate their science. The research and scientific techniques will also be integrated directly into the curricula, allowing a large number of students to be involved in the design and implementation of research methods and data management, while hands on research actively enhances the educational experience.
