The evolutionary diversity and metabolic versatility of microbes in soil is stunning: a gram of soil contains more than a billion microbes that may represent millions of species. Although relatively little is known about these complex microbial communities, it is recognized that conversion of native lands to agricultural uses impacts the composition of the communities and their functioning in terms of the production and consumption of greenhouse gases. This research project will catalog a large fraction of the genetic diversity in soil through metagenomic approaches and address specific questions about the relationships between the genetic structure of microbial communities in soil and the production and consumption of two greenhouse gases - nitrous oxide and methane. The research will be conducted at the Kellogg Biological Station Long Term Ecological Research site (http://lter.kbs.msu.edu) that was established in part to advance understanding of the ecological impacts of agroecosystems.
As the acreage of land brought under agricultural management expands, enhanced knowledge of the effects of agriculture on the microbiology of soils will provide a fundamental underpinning for future strategies to mitigate the negative consequences associated with land management strategies. In addition to advancing understanding of the genetic basis for elemental cycles that are key to the health of the planet, this project offers the tantalizing promise of dramatically expanding the view of the genetic landscape of life. Opportunities will be available for post doctoral researchers, graduate and under-graduate students to think creatively and critically in the design of experiments and interpretation of results, especially as they apply to developing field tests of hypotheses resulting from analyses of metagenomic sequence data.
