A fundamental challenge of modern environmental science is to understand how earth systems will respond to climate change. A parallel challenge in biology is to understand how information encoded in organismal genes manifests as biogeochemical processes at ecosystem-to-global scales. These grand challenges intersect in the need to understand the global carbon (C) cycle, which is… [Read More]

The objective of this proposal is to understand how biomass-derived carbon is converted into lipids and terpenoids in the oleaginous and carotenogenic yeast Rhodosporidium toruloides. We will carry out a detailed systems biology-level study of wild type and mutant strains using a combination of multi-omic technologies and high resolution microscopy methods. Our goal is to… [Read More]

“Blue carbon,” or organic carbon (OC) derived from and stored in coastal and marine environments, is recognized as an important OC sink within the global carbon cycle, particularly in mangrove, salt marsh, and seagrass settings. However, as sea level continues to rise, these blue carbon reserves will become increasingly sensitive to wetland erosion/loss, particularly in… [Read More]

A more complete understanding of how global warming will affect carbon-cycle feedbacks to the climate system is central to model projections of future climate. Simulation experiments with fully coupled, three-dimensional carbon-climate models suggest that carbon-cycle feedbacks could either substantially accelerate or slow climate change over the 21st century. The potential switch of the terrestrial biosphere… [Read More]

Depositional environments such as floodplains are poorly understood and dynamic components of the global carbon cycle that not are well represented in Earth system models. Further, they have a dominant influence on metal cycling within critical transport conduits to surface and groundwater. Importantly, the fate of carbon and redox active metals such as iron and… [Read More]

This study will explore the genetics of obligately symbiotic interactions between conifers (Pinaceae) and their host-specific ectomycorrhizal fungi in the mushroom genus Suillus, and their effects on ecological cycling of forest carbon. Using conifer seedlings experimentally inoculated with different Suillus species, we will employ integrated metatranscriptomic / metaproteomic/metabolomic approaches identify key fungal in EMF-Pinaceae roots… [Read More]

Climate change in the Arctic is progressing rapidly, and much of the focus, thus far, has been on permafrost thaw and the rapid mineralization of soil organic carbon (C) by soil microorganisms. However, climate change is also increasing the abundance of woody deciduous shrubs in the Arctic, altering the vegetative biochemical landscape, which could profoundly… [Read More]

Coniferous forests are widely distributed in temperate and boreal biomes and the fact that they efficiently store large stocks of carbon makes them globally important. Decomposer and mycorrhizal fungi are key players in the carbon and nitrogen cycles in this environment. Despite the recognition of potential effects of N availability on C cycle-related processes, detailed… [Read More]

Extremophilic fungi possess adaptations that enable successful colonization of environments characterized by extremes of temperature, water activity, salinity, radiation, and/or pH. As part of a broad emphasis on understanding these adaptations, the long-term objective of the team’s research is to determine how fungi interact with photoautotrophs (algae and cyanobacteria). Their work focuses on fungal interactions… [Read More]

The team will investigate the role of root-associated Actinobacteria in promoting host fitness under drought stress in two plants important to the DOE mission of sustainable biofuels. Preliminary data suggest that Actinobacteria are reproducibly more abundant in the roots of drought-treated sorghum and rice than in those of well-watered controls. They hypothesize: 1) that the enriched… [Read More]