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Microbial Metagenomics Reveals Climate-Relevant Subsurface Biogeochemical Processes.
Philip E Long1, Kenneth H Williams1, Susan S Hubbard1
1Earth Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
Trends in Microbiology
|May 10, 2016
Summary
Recent DNA sequencing reveals diverse soil microbes crucial for recycling buried carbon. Genome insights link these organisms to carbon and nitrogen cycles, impacting water quality and greenhouse gas emissions.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Biogeochemistry
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Microorganisms drive terrestrial carbon cycling, particularly the decomposition of organic matter in soils and sediments.
- Subsurface microbial communities are vast and largely uncharacterized, playing a critical role in recycling buried carbon.
- Understanding these communities is vital for predicting environmental changes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the diversity of previously unknown microorganisms in subsoil environments.
- To associate specific microbial groups with carbon and nitrogen cycle transformations.
- To understand the role of microbial interactions and metabolic byproducts in biogeochemical processes.
Main Methods:
- DNA sequencing-based studies to identify microbial diversity.
- Genome resolution to link microbial members to specific functions.
- Analysis of microbial interactions and metabolic exchanges.
Main Results:
- Discovery of a vast array of previously unknown microorganisms in subsoil.
- Association of specific microbes with carbon compound transformations and nitrogen cycling.
- Recognition of the importance of microbial interactions and metabolic byproducts, especially for small-celled novel organisms.
Conclusions:
- Genome-resolved insights are reshaping our understanding of subsurface microbial ecology.
- New data on microbial functions are essential for improving reactive transport models.
- Accurate modeling is needed to predict watershed biogeochemical feedbacks and climate impacts, including greenhouse gas fluxes (CO2, CH4, N2O).
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