By Jeff Mulhollem
Drylands cover more than 40% of the Earth's terrestrial surface, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, and support 40% of the global population. With monsoon seasons growing more extreme and unpredictable in these arid regions — driven by a warming climate — their soil microbiomes may be threatened. To find out, a microbiologist at Penn State is undertaking a collaborative study of whether microbial communities in arid ecosystems can maintain resilience in the midst of changing monsoon regimes. The project is funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and Allen Family Philanthropies, which was formerly known as the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation.
In these drylands soil microbiomes, water equals activity, explained Estelle Couradeau, assistant professor of soils and environmental microbiology in the Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences. The question, she said, is if that microbial community can "bounce back" from increasing unpredictable water disturbance. The answer is critical because dryland microorganisms are believed to be ecological engineers to restore degraded land and mitigate desertification, Couradeau added.
“These soils are dry, the microbes only turn active when it is wet, so changes in moisture pattern will change their window for being active,” she said. “It is a problem if the microbes can’t adapt to turbulent conditions because soil microbes are responsible for nutrient cycling, including the nitrogen cycle that is a focus of this project.”
Couradeau will collaborate with Malak Tfaily at the University of Arizona, both leading research teams at their respective institutions. The total project award is $1,153,700, split between the two universities.
Source : psu.edu