Microorganisms have long been known to catalyze almost all the transformation processes of soil organic carbon, such as decomposition, stabilization, and mineralization. However, we continue to struggle with the challenge of revealing quantitative relationships between rates of biogeochemical processes and microbial community structures and functions. Without those quantitative relationships, our knowledge about microbiology could not be explicitly incorporated into earth system models to represent the microbial feedbacks between climate and soil C stocks.
Results/Conclusions
To develop quantitative relationships between microbiology and biogeochemistry that are potentially useful for earth system models, we have to gain firm empirical evidence on two issues: (1) how do microbial structures and functions vary with environmental factors? (2) does that variation significantly affect decomposition and other key biogeochemical processes?
In this talk, I will present experimental results on the two issues, using conventional microbial approaches and genomics tools. I will also point out possible future research directions to advance the science at the interface of microbial genomics and biogeochemistry.