Details of Award
NERC Reference : NE/K006924/1
Spatio-temporal dynamics of microbial community structure and function across an afforestation chronosequence
Training Grant Award
- Lead Supervisor:
- Dr C Whitby, University of Essex, Biological Sciences
- Grant held at:
- University of Essex, Biological Sciences
- Science Area:
- Terrestrial
- Overall Classification:
- Terrestrial
- ENRIs:
- Biodiversity
- Natural Resource Management
- Science Topics:
- None
- Abstract:
- Forests are an important part of our landscape, providing many benefits to the environment, economy and society and are8 one current focus of governmental policy on mitigating climate change. This is notably due to the importance of forests in the global carbon (C) cycle and for reducing greenhouse gases, thus providing an important climate service. The Government recognises the need for increased planting to mitigate climate change, yet further data are required to inform this policy-based practice. In order to predict the impact of afforestation on soil C stocks and dynamics, it is vital we understand how functionally important soil microbial communities assemble and how this affects their roles in biogeochemical/macronutrient cycling. Methane-oxidation (MO), carried out by methane-oxidising bacteria (MOB), is a significant contributor to global C cycling. Nitrification is also critical to the environmental cycling of N and involves the activities of ammonia-oxidising bacteria (AOB) and archaea (AOA). Mycorrhizal fungi are also functionally important in forest systems and both arbuscular (AM) and ecto- (EM) mycorrhizal fungi play central roles in C, N and P cycling in forest environments, providing host plants with increased N and P in return for plant-derived C. Subsequently, mycorrhizal interactions have significant impacts on climatically important gas fluxes e.g. CH4 and CO2. Yet information on how AM and EM fungi interact with AOA/AOB/MOB is limited. Without detailed knowledge of these community dynamics it is impossible to predict their long-term function in forest soils in a changing environment. Chronosequences make ideal tools to examine the temporal dynamics of both community assembly and ecosystem functions. The overall aim of the project is to analyse long-term chronosequences of lowland oak and Sitka spruce to determine assembly patterns in soil microbial communities (e.g. AOB/AOA/MOB/AM/EM) and their associated functional processes, with the aim of these data informing current forest management practices. Specific Aims: 1) Quantify C and N gaseous exchanges between the 'airshed' and soils, and quantify fluxes in response to manipulation of N, P and C availability; 2) Determine spatio-temporal changes in soil microbial community structure (specifically AOB/AOA/MOB/AM/EM) in relation to nitrification, methane-oxidation and functional gene activity; 3) Determine how soil microbe interactions change with forest age; 4) Investigate and quantify community assembly rules for soil microbial communities. FR has chronosequences in Kielder forest, (Sitka spruce) and Alice Holt forest (Oak) spanning >60 yrs with corresponding background data (e.g. soil chemistry, litterfall biomass, chemistry and decomposition, aboveground biomass and carbon). Replicate soil cores will be taken from the upper organic layers and soil-physicochemical analysis performed (e.g. pH, TOC, TON) alongside quantification of changes in soil solution chemistry and trace gas fluxes. Community profiling and pyrosequencing methods will be used to quantity changes in microbial communities across the chronosequences, supported by Q-PCR analysis of changes in AOB/AOA/MOB functional genes and their transcripts. In addition, fine-scale interactions between functioning of microbial groups will be explored via soil metatranscriptomics. A key output of the project will be important data on what determines the size of soil C stocks and their processes on greenhouse gases in forests and fits well within RC-UK remit on climate change. The student will spend time in FR during the project gaining experience and knowledge of practical forestry, drivers and policy in forest management and GHG mitigation, thus integrating data from this study directly with policy and management decisions. The project will also provide detailed information on how afforestation affects soil community dynamics and function encompassing NERC's key research priority area.
- NERC Reference:
- NE/K006924/1
- Grant Stage:
- Completed
- Scheme:
- DTG - directed
- Grant Status:
- Closed
- Programme:
- Open CASE
This training grant award has a total value of £70,645
FDAB - Financial Details (Award breakdown by headings)
| Total - Fees | Total - RTSG | Total - Student Stipend |
|---|---|---|
| £13,978 | £7,474 | £49,194 |
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