Results for “microbial interactions” — Page 47

DOE OSTI2025

The role of Ca-bridged organic matter in an alkaline soil, as revealed by multimodal chemical imaging

Mineral–organic matter (OM) studies have predominantly focused on acidic soils that are abundant in iron (Fe) oxides and aluminum (Al) oxides. We have probed mineral–OM interactions in an alkaline or calcareous soil of the Aridisols class. Unlike the role of Fe and Al, the role of Ca-minerals (particularly calcite), which are ubiquitous in alkaline soils, in OM sequestration is not well understood. Multiple recent model studies with aqueous Ca2+ or synthetic calcite and a suite of OM compounds have shown Ca-OM assemblages to be spatially correlated with calcite at the microscale. To study the chemical state of both Ca and Fe and their competing role in soil organic matter (SOM) stabilization, we performed laboratory characterization using x-ray diffraction, Mössbauer spectroscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and scanning transmission electron microscopy, alongside synchrotron-based microscale chemical imaging using scanning transmission x-ray microscopy combined with near-edge x-ray absorption fine structure. Ca mineral–organic associations were found to be ubiquitous in this system and are likely critical for understanding SOM stabilization/degradation in alkaline soils. From our findings on mineralogy, speciation, and the nature of Ca-OM bridging, we identified differences in C and Ca chemistry based on the relative location of OM to Ca minerals. The OM near the calcite crystal was enriched in lipid and protein moieties, Ca-OM next to Fe minerals displayed a strong contribution from aromatic compounds, while on the surface of microbes, the carbonate was believed to be of microbial in origin, as also suggested by preliminary works reporting on the formation of amorphous calcite or nano-calcite. In Ca-OM admixed with carbonate, it was difficult to distinguish Ca-associated OM from amorphous calcite or nano-calcite.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2026

Tendencies of Soil Microbial NO Emissions During HI‐SCALE as Predicted by a Nitrification/Denitrification Scheme

Many atmospheric chemical processes, including the formation of secondary organic aerosol (SOA), are strongly modulated by the reactions of NO and NO 2 (NO x ). Though NO x is controlled by anthropogenic emissions near urban areas, in rural areas soil microbes can be a significant contribution to NO emission globally. The relative rates of emissions of different nitrogen-containing species (e.g., NO, N 2 O, HONO, and N 2 ) are strong functions of soil properties such as temperature, moisture content, pH, and soil carbon and nitrogen pools. However, typical large-scale biogeochemical models either express these emissions simplistically, or not at all. Here we investigate the potential impact of soil NO emissions on atmospheric chemistry and SOA formation over regional and monthly time scales, specifically the 2016 spring and summer Intensive Observational Periods (IOPs) of the Holistic Interactions of Shallow Clouds, Aerosols and Land Ecosystems (HI-SCALE) field campaign. We implement the soil NO nitrification/denitrification parameterization of Rasool et al. (2019) into the Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled with Chemistry (WRF-Chem), supplemented by a 1-km soil moisture analysis. We then simulate both IOPs over the U.S. Great Plains, evaluating against ground stations and flight data. We show that soil NO emissions can account for a large fraction of total NO x and locally increase O 3 concentrations by up to 25%, while alleviating negative biases of gases and aerosols toward observations. Soil moisture and temperature changes between IOP1 and IOP2 lead to overall differences in emissions, but with large regional variability due to heterogeneous surface characteristics.

Atmoshpheric Chemistry↗

DOE OSTI2022

Adaptation to Environmental Extremes Structures Functional Traits in Biological Soil Crust and Hypolithic Microbial Communities

Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) are widespread in drylands and deserts. At the microhabitat scale, they also host hypolithic communities that live under semitranslucent stones. Both environmental niches experience exposure to extreme conditions such as high UV radiation, desiccation, temperature fluctuations, and resource limitation. However, hypolithic communities are somewhat protected from extremes relative to biocrust communities. Conditions are otherwise similar, so comparing them can answer outstanding questions regarding adaptations to environmental extremes. Using metagenomic sequencing, we assessed the functional potential of dryland soil communities and identified the functional underpinnings of ecological niche differentiation in biocrusts versus hypoliths. We also determined the effect of the anchoring photoautotroph (moss or cyanobacteria). Genes and pathways differing in abundance between biocrusts and hypoliths indicate that biocrust communities adapt to the higher levels of UV radiation, desiccation, and temperature extremes through an increased ability to repair damaged DNA, sense and respond to environmental stimuli, and interact with other community members and the environment. Intracellular competition appears to be crucial to both communities, with biocrust communities using the Type VI Secretion System (T6SS) and hypoliths favoring a diversity of antibiotics. The dominant primary producer had a reduced effect on community functional potential compared with niche, but an abundance of genes related to monosaccharide, amino acid, and osmoprotectant uptake in moss-dominated communities indicates reliance on resources provided to heterotrophs by mosses. Our findings indicate that functional traits in dryland communities are driven by adaptations to extremes and we identify strategies that likely enable survival in dryland ecosystems.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

NASA NTRS2022

Adaptation to environmental extremes structures functional traits in biological soil crust and hypolithic microbial communities

Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) are widespread in drylands and deserts. At the microhabitat scale, they also host hypolithic communities that live under semi-translucent stones. Both environmental niches experience exposure to extreme conditions such as high UV radiation, desiccation, temperature fluctuations, and resource limitation. However, hypolithic communities are somewhat protected from extremes relative to biocrust communities. Conditions are otherwise similar, so comparing them can answer outstanding questions regarding adaptations to environmental extremes. Using metagenomic sequencing, we assessed the functional potential of dryland soil communities and identified the functional underpinnings of ecological niche differentiation in biocrusts versus hypoliths. We also determined the effect of the anchoring photoautotroph (moss or cyanobacteria). Genes and pathways differing in abundance between biocrusts and hypoliths indicate that biocrust communities adapt to the higher levels of UV radiation, desiccation, and temperature extremes through an increased ability to repair damaged DNA, sense and respond to environmental stimuli, and interact with other community members and the environment. Intracellular competition appears to be crucial to both communities, with biocrust communities waging war using the Type VI Secretion System (T6SS) and hypoliths favoring diversity of antibiotics. The dominant primary producer had a reduced effect on community functional potential compared with niche, but an abundance of genes related to monosaccharide, amino acid, and osmoprotectant uptake in moss-dominated communities indicates reliance on resources provided to heterotrophs by mosses. Our findings indicate that functional traits in dryland communities are driven by adaptations to extremes and we identify strategies that likely enable survival in dryland ecosystems.

Biological soil crusts↗

NASA NTRS1993

Design and testing of a unique randomized gravity, continuous flow bioreactor

A rotating, null gravity simulator, or Couette bioreactor was successfully used for the culture of mammalian cells in a simulated microgravity environment. Two limited studies using Lipomyces starkeyi and Streptomyces clavuligerus were also conducted under conditions of simulated weightlessness. Although these studies with microorganisms showed promising preliminary results, oxygen limitations presented significant limitations in studying the biochemical and cultural characteristics of these cell types. Microbial cell systems such as bacteria and yeast promise significant potential as investigative models to study the effects of microgravity on membrane transport, as well as substrate induction of inactive enzyme systems. Additionally, the smaller size of the microorganisms should further reduce the gravity induced oscillatory particle motion and thereby improve the microgravity simulation on earth. Focus is on the unique conceptual design, and subsequent development of a rotating bioreactor that is compatible with the culture and investigation of microgravity effects on microbial systems. The new reactor design will allow testing of highly aerobic cell types under simulated microgravity conditions. The described reactor affords a mechanism for investigating the long term effects of reduced gravity on cellular respiration, membrane transfer, ion exchange, and substrate conversions. It offers the capability of dynamically altering nutrients, oxygenation, pH, carbon dioxide, and substrate concentration without disturbing the microgravity simulation, or Couette flow, of the reactor. All progeny of the original cell inoculum may be acclimated to the simulated microgravity in the absence of a substrate or nutrient. The reactor has the promise of allowing scientists to probe the long term effects of weightlessness on cell interactions in plants, bacteria, yeast, and fungi. The reactor is designed to have a flow field growth chamber with uniform shear stress, yet transfer high concentrations of oxygen into the culture medium. The system described allows for continuous, on line sampling for production of product without disturbing fluid and particle dynamics in the reaction chamber. It provides for the introduction of substrate, or control substances after cell adaptation to simulated microgravity has been accomplished. The reactor system provides for the nondisruptive, continuous flow replacement of nutrient and removal of product. On line monitoring and control of growth conditions such as pH and nutrient status are provided. A rotating distribution valve allows cessation of growth chamber rotation, thereby preserving the simulated microgravity conditions over longer periods of time.

Lassiter, Carroll B.↗

DOE OSTI2024

Gut enterotype-dependent modulation of gut microbiota and their metabolism in response to xanthohumol supplementation in healthy adults

Xanthohumol (XN), a polyphenol found in the hop plant (Humulus lupulus), has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, prebiotic, and anti-hyperlipidemic activity. Preclinical evidence suggests the gut microbiome is essential in mediating these bioactivities; however, relatively little is known about XN’s impact on human gut microbiota in vivo. We conducted a randomized, triple-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03735420) to determine safety and tolerability of XN in healthy adults. Thirty healthy participants were randomized to 24 mg/day XN or placebo for 8 weeks. As secondary outcomes, quantification of bacterial metabolites and 16S rRNA gene sequencing were utilized to explore the relationships between XN supplementation, gut microbiota, and biomarkers of gut health. Although XN did not significantly change gut microbiota composition, it did re-shape individual taxa in an enterotype-dependent manner. High levels of inter-individual variation in metabolic profiles and bioavailability of XN metabolites were observed. Moreover, reductions in microbiota-derived bile acid metabolism were observed, which were enterotype-dependent. These results suggest interactions between XN and gut microbiota in healthy adults are highly inter-individualized and potentially indicate that XN elicits effects on gut health in an enterotype-dependent manner.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2022

Riverine bacterioplankton and phytoplankton assembly along an environmental gradient induced by urbanization

In the Anthropocene, human activities are intensifying stresses on biological communities across ecosystems. Knowledge on how environmental changes influence microbial community dynamics is crucial but currently limited. Here we unraveled ecological processes generating distribution patterns of bacterioplankton and phytoplankton communities in a river draining an urbanizing watershed in southern China. In this ecosystem, longitudinal environmental heterogeneity and directional flow potentially have counteracting effects on planktonic community assembly. Using simultaneously multiple approaches, we showed that the observed compositional patterns result from an interplay of stochastic and deterministic processes, indicating that dispersal via fluvial connectivity could not override local selective pressures. Successional shifts in the relative importance of the above processes were associated with trends in climatic factors. High diversity was observed at the intermediate levels of ecological processes alongside intense inter-species interactions maintained by a few keystone taxa. Altogether, interactions between climatic conditions, landscape and hydrology control plankton community dynamics.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2024

Soil pore characteristics and the fate of new switchgrass-derived carbon in switchgrass and prairie bioenergy cropping systems

Abstract Monoculture switchgrass and restored prairie are promising perennial feedstock sources for bioenergy production on the lands unsuitable for conventional agriculture. Such lands often display contrasting topography that influences soil characteristics and interactions between plant growth and soil C gains. This study aimed at elucidating the influences of topography and plant systems on the fate of C originated from switchgrass plants and on its relationships with soil pore characteristics. For that, switchgrass plants were grown in intact soil cores collected from two contrasting topographies, namely steep slopes and topographical depressions, in the fields in multi-year monoculture switchgrass and restored prairie vegetation. The 13 C pulse labeling allowed tracing the C of switchgrass origin, which X-ray computed micro-tomography enabled in-detail characterization of soil pore structure. In eroded slopes, the differences between the monoculture switchgrass and prairie in terms of total and microbial biomass C were greater than those in topographical depressions. While new switchgrass increased the CO 2 emission in depressions, it did not significantly affect the CO 2 emission in slopes. Pores of 18–90 µm Ø facilitated the accumulation of new C in soil, while > 150 µm Ø pores enhanced the mineralization of the new C. These findings suggest that polyculture prairie located in slopes can be particularly beneficial in facilitating soil C accrual and reduce C losses as CO 2 .

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

NASA NTRS1992

Long-term lunar stations: Some ecological considerations

A major factor for long-term success of a lunar station is the ability to keep an agroecosystem functioning at a desirable, stable steady-state with ecological stability and reliability. Design for a long-lived extraterrestrial manned station must take into account interactions among its subsystems to insure that overall functionality is enhanced (or at least not compromised). Physical isolation of feed production, human living areas, recycling, and other systems may be straightforward, however, microbiological isolation will be very difficult. While it is possible to eliminate plant-associated microbiological communities by growing the plants asepticallly, it is not practical to keep plants germ-free on a large scale if humans are working with them. Ecological theory strongly suggests that some kinds of communities or organisms effectively increase the stability of ecosystems and will protect the plants from potential pathogens. A carefully designed and maintained (lunar-derived) soil can provide a variety of habitats for effective microbial buffers while adding structure to the agroecosystem. A soil can also increase ecosystem reliability through buffering otherwise large element and compound fluctuations (of nutrients, wastes, etc.) as well as buffering temperature level and atmosphere composition. We are doing experiments in ecological dynamics and attempting to extend the relevant theories.

Maguire, Bassett, Jr.↗

DOE OSTI2020

Metatranscriptomic dynamics after Verticillium dahliae infection and root damage in Olea europaea

Background: The olive tree is of particular economic interest in the Mediterranean basin. Researchers have conducted several studies on one of the most devastating disorders affecting this tree, the Verticillium wilt, which causes substantial economic losses in numerous areas. We analyzed metatranscriptomic samples taken from a previous study conducted on leaves and roots of Olea europaea that were infected with Verticillium dahliae. In addition, we also analyzed mechanically damaged roots. The aim of our approach is to describe the dynamics of the root microbiome after severe perturbations. Results: Our results not only describe the dynamics of the microbial community associated with the disturbance, but also show the high complexity of these systems and explain how this can lead to a conflicting assignment of the various types of parasitism observed in a specific organism. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that this infection, although led by Verticillium, is driven not by a single species, but by a polymicrobial consortium that also includes natural endophytes of the olive tree. This community contains both biotrophic and necrotrophic organisms that alternate and live together during the infection. In addition, opportunistic organisms appear that take profit not from plant tissues, but from new emerging populations of microorganisms. Therefore, this system can be described as a complex biological system composed of different interacting communities. Notably, our work has important considerations when it comes to classifying the type of parasitism of a given species.

Verticillium dahliae↗

DOE OSTI2023

Data for EMSL Project 60929 from August 2023: PI Goemann MONet Request

Just as humans rely on a healthy gut microbiome for resilience to illness, plants rely on a healthy root microbiome for resilience to environmental abiotic stress (heat, drought). To achieve a healthy root microbiome, plants release carbon (C)-rich compounds as root exudates to stimulate microbial activity and increase local nutrient mineralization. However, the enhanced performance comes at a cost: up to 44% of a plant’s C can be lost to root exudates, diverting C from plant growth and respiration. Critical knowledge gaps include how the ‘C cost’ is managed and how root exudates alter the microbiome under different environmental conditions. In addition, historical climate conditions, particularly mean annual precipitation, is known to shape local soil microbiomes and alter their sensitivity to drought. Therefore, studies that better characterize the plant-microbe responses to environmental stress will aid in efforts to harness the microbiome to improve crop resilience. However, current knowledge gaps make it challenging to engineer beneficial plant-microbe interactions to improve plant productivity in agricultural systems and to predict how increased climate variability will alter terrestrial C fluxes and climate feedbacks. To fill this knowledge gap our research group at Montana State University – Bozeman is currently studying blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis), a prairie grass native across the Northern Great Plains, as a model for drought tolerance. Our goal is to investigate the above- and belowground responses of blue grama to drought and heat stress to improve our understanding of stress-induced carbon allocation and plant-microbe interactions. Most recently, we investigated the influence of climate history on the blue grama drought response. We collected soil from three blue grama-dominated sites (those proposed to sample here) across a 150 mm mean annual precipitation gradient in SW Montana, USA, to use as inoculum for a greenhouse drought experiment. Preliminary results indicate that soil climate history has a strong influence on the blue grama physiological response to drought as well as on the chemical composition of root exudates and rhizosphere microbiome composition. Metabarcoding data from this experiment is scheduled to be submitted to public databases within the next year. Having in-depth analyses of the soil biogeochemistry and metagenomic composition through the MONet project at each of the field sites associated with this experiment will allow us to link underlying ecological processes with observed patterns of plant growth and productivity at each site. In addition, we plan to utilize the MONet database for future meta-analyses to compare the genomic and biogeochemical signatures of our field sites to others across a wider precipitation gradient throughout the native range of blue grama. This will further provide critical insights into the mechanisms that drive ecosystem functioning and resilience to drought stress.

Peyton, Brent↗

DOE OSTI2023

Data for EMSL Project 60929 from August 2023: PI Goemann MONet Request

Just as humans rely on a healthy gut microbiome for resilience to illness, plants rely on a healthy root microbiome for resilience to environmental abiotic stress (heat, drought). To achieve a healthy root microbiome, plants release carbon (C)-rich compounds as root exudates to stimulate microbial activity and increase local nutrient mineralization. However, the enhanced performance comes at a cost: up to 44% of a plant’s C can be lost to root exudates, diverting C from plant growth and respiration. Critical knowledge gaps include how the ‘C cost’ is managed and how root exudates alter the microbiome under different environmental conditions. In addition, historical climate conditions, particularly mean annual precipitation, is known to shape local soil microbiomes and alter their sensitivity to drought. Therefore, studies that better characterize the plant-microbe responses to environmental stress will aid in efforts to harness the microbiome to improve crop resilience. However, current knowledge gaps make it challenging to engineer beneficial plant-microbe interactions to improve plant productivity in agricultural systems and to predict how increased climate variability will alter terrestrial C fluxes and climate feedbacks. To fill this knowledge gap our research group at Montana State University – Bozeman is currently studying blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis), a prairie grass native across the Northern Great Plains, as a model for drought tolerance. Our goal is to investigate the above- and belowground responses of blue grama to drought and heat stress to improve our understanding of stress-induced carbon allocation and plant-microbe interactions. Most recently, we investigated the influence of climate history on the blue grama drought response. We collected soil from three blue grama-dominated sites (those proposed to sample here) across a 150 mm mean annual precipitation gradient in SW Montana, USA, to use as inoculum for a greenhouse drought experiment. Preliminary results indicate that soil climate history has a strong influence on the blue grama physiological response to drought as well as on the chemical composition of root exudates and rhizosphere microbiome composition. Metabarcoding data from this experiment is scheduled to be submitted to public databases within the next year. Having in-depth analyses of the soil biogeochemistry and metagenomic composition through the MONet project at each of the field sites associated with this experiment will allow us to link underlying ecological processes with observed patterns of plant growth and productivity at each site. In addition, we plan to utilize the MONet database for future meta-analyses to compare the genomic and biogeochemical signatures of our field sites to others across a wider precipitation gradient throughout the native range of blue grama. This will further provide critical insights into the mechanisms that drive ecosystem functioning and resilience to drought stress.

Peyton, Brent↗

DOE OSTI2023

Data for EMSL Project 60929 from August 2023: PI Goemann MONet Request

Just as humans rely on a healthy gut microbiome for resilience to illness, plants rely on a healthy root microbiome for resilience to environmental abiotic stress (heat, drought). To achieve a healthy root microbiome, plants release carbon (C)-rich compounds as root exudates to stimulate microbial activity and increase local nutrient mineralization. However, the enhanced performance comes at a cost: up to 44% of a plant’s C can be lost to root exudates, diverting C from plant growth and respiration. Critical knowledge gaps include how the ‘C cost’ is managed and how root exudates alter the microbiome under different environmental conditions. In addition, historical climate conditions, particularly mean annual precipitation, is known to shape local soil microbiomes and alter their sensitivity to drought. Therefore, studies that better characterize the plant-microbe responses to environmental stress will aid in efforts to harness the microbiome to improve crop resilience. However, current knowledge gaps make it challenging to engineer beneficial plant-microbe interactions to improve plant productivity in agricultural systems and to predict how increased climate variability will alter terrestrial C fluxes and climate feedbacks. To fill this knowledge gap our research group at Montana State University – Bozeman is currently studying blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis), a prairie grass native across the Northern Great Plains, as a model for drought tolerance. Our goal is to investigate the above- and belowground responses of blue grama to drought and heat stress to improve our understanding of stress-induced carbon allocation and plant-microbe interactions. Most recently, we investigated the influence of climate history on the blue grama drought response. We collected soil from three blue grama-dominated sites (those proposed to sample here) across a 150 mm mean annual precipitation gradient in SW Montana, USA, to use as inoculum for a greenhouse drought experiment. Preliminary results indicate that soil climate history has a strong influence on the blue grama physiological response to drought as well as on the chemical composition of root exudates and rhizosphere microbiome composition. Metabarcoding data from this experiment is scheduled to be submitted to public databases within the next year. Having in-depth analyses of the soil biogeochemistry and metagenomic composition through the MONet project at each of the field sites associated with this experiment will allow us to link underlying ecological processes with observed patterns of plant growth and productivity at each site. In addition, we plan to utilize the MONet database for future meta-analyses to compare the genomic and biogeochemical signatures of our field sites to others across a wider precipitation gradient throughout the native range of blue grama. This will further provide critical insights into the mechanisms that drive ecosystem functioning and resilience to drought stress.

Peyton, Brent↗

DOE OSTI2023

Data for EMSL Project 60929 from August 2023: PI Goemann MONet Request

Just as humans rely on a healthy gut microbiome for resilience to illness, plants rely on a healthy root microbiome for resilience to environmental abiotic stress (heat, drought). To achieve a healthy root microbiome, plants release carbon (C)-rich compounds as root exudates to stimulate microbial activity and increase local nutrient mineralization. However, the enhanced performance comes at a cost: up to 44% of a plant’s C can be lost to root exudates, diverting C from plant growth and respiration. Critical knowledge gaps include how the ‘C cost’ is managed and how root exudates alter the microbiome under different environmental conditions. In addition, historical climate conditions, particularly mean annual precipitation, is known to shape local soil microbiomes and alter their sensitivity to drought. Therefore, studies that better characterize the plant-microbe responses to environmental stress will aid in efforts to harness the microbiome to improve crop resilience. However, current knowledge gaps make it challenging to engineer beneficial plant-microbe interactions to improve plant productivity in agricultural systems and to predict how increased climate variability will alter terrestrial C fluxes and climate feedbacks. To fill this knowledge gap our research group at Montana State University – Bozeman is currently studying blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis), a prairie grass native across the Northern Great Plains, as a model for drought tolerance. Our goal is to investigate the above- and belowground responses of blue grama to drought and heat stress to improve our understanding of stress-induced carbon allocation and plant-microbe interactions. Most recently, we investigated the influence of climate history on the blue grama drought response. We collected soil from three blue grama-dominated sites (those proposed to sample here) across a 150 mm mean annual precipitation gradient in SW Montana, USA, to use as inoculum for a greenhouse drought experiment. Preliminary results indicate that soil climate history has a strong influence on the blue grama physiological response to drought as well as on the chemical composition of root exudates and rhizosphere microbiome composition. Metabarcoding data from this experiment is scheduled to be submitted to public databases within the next year. Having in-depth analyses of the soil biogeochemistry and metagenomic composition through the MONet project at each of the field sites associated with this experiment will allow us to link underlying ecological processes with observed patterns of plant growth and productivity at each site. In addition, we plan to utilize the MONet database for future meta-analyses to compare the genomic and biogeochemical signatures of our field sites to others across a wider precipitation gradient throughout the native range of blue grama. This will further provide critical insights into the mechanisms that drive ecosystem functioning and resilience to drought stress.

Peyton, Brent↗

DOE OSTI2023

Data for EMSL Project 60929 from August 2023: PI Goemann MONet Request

Just as humans rely on a healthy gut microbiome for resilience to illness, plants rely on a healthy root microbiome for resilience to environmental abiotic stress (heat, drought). To achieve a healthy root microbiome, plants release carbon (C)-rich compounds as root exudates to stimulate microbial activity and increase local nutrient mineralization. However, the enhanced performance comes at a cost: up to 44% of a plant’s C can be lost to root exudates, diverting C from plant growth and respiration. Critical knowledge gaps include how the ‘C cost’ is managed and how root exudates alter the microbiome under different environmental conditions. In addition, historical climate conditions, particularly mean annual precipitation, is known to shape local soil microbiomes and alter their sensitivity to drought. Therefore, studies that better characterize the plant-microbe responses to environmental stress will aid in efforts to harness the microbiome to improve crop resilience. However, current knowledge gaps make it challenging to engineer beneficial plant-microbe interactions to improve plant productivity in agricultural systems and to predict how increased climate variability will alter terrestrial C fluxes and climate feedbacks. To fill this knowledge gap our research group at Montana State University – Bozeman is currently studying blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis), a prairie grass native across the Northern Great Plains, as a model for drought tolerance. Our goal is to investigate the above- and belowground responses of blue grama to drought and heat stress to improve our understanding of stress-induced carbon allocation and plant-microbe interactions. Most recently, we investigated the influence of climate history on the blue grama drought response. We collected soil from three blue grama-dominated sites (those proposed to sample here) across a 150 mm mean annual precipitation gradient in SW Montana, USA, to use as inoculum for a greenhouse drought experiment. Preliminary results indicate that soil climate history has a strong influence on the blue grama physiological response to drought as well as on the chemical composition of root exudates and rhizosphere microbiome composition. Metabarcoding data from this experiment is scheduled to be submitted to public databases within the next year. Having in-depth analyses of the soil biogeochemistry and metagenomic composition through the MONet project at each of the field sites associated with this experiment will allow us to link underlying ecological processes with observed patterns of plant growth and productivity at each site. In addition, we plan to utilize the MONet database for future meta-analyses to compare the genomic and biogeochemical signatures of our field sites to others across a wider precipitation gradient throughout the native range of blue grama. This will further provide critical insights into the mechanisms that drive ecosystem functioning and resilience to drought stress.

Peyton, Brent↗

DOE OSTI2023

Data for EMSL Project 60929 from August 2023: PI Goemann MONet Request

Just as humans rely on a healthy gut microbiome for resilience to illness, plants rely on a healthy root microbiome for resilience to environmental abiotic stress (heat, drought). To achieve a healthy root microbiome, plants release carbon (C)-rich compounds as root exudates to stimulate microbial activity and increase local nutrient mineralization. However, the enhanced performance comes at a cost: up to 44% of a plant’s C can be lost to root exudates, diverting C from plant growth and respiration. Critical knowledge gaps include how the ‘C cost’ is managed and how root exudates alter the microbiome under different environmental conditions. In addition, historical climate conditions, particularly mean annual precipitation, is known to shape local soil microbiomes and alter their sensitivity to drought. Therefore, studies that better characterize the plant-microbe responses to environmental stress will aid in efforts to harness the microbiome to improve crop resilience. However, current knowledge gaps make it challenging to engineer beneficial plant-microbe interactions to improve plant productivity in agricultural systems and to predict how increased climate variability will alter terrestrial C fluxes and climate feedbacks. To fill this knowledge gap our research group at Montana State University – Bozeman is currently studying blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis), a prairie grass native across the Northern Great Plains, as a model for drought tolerance. Our goal is to investigate the above- and belowground responses of blue grama to drought and heat stress to improve our understanding of stress-induced carbon allocation and plant-microbe interactions. Most recently, we investigated the influence of climate history on the blue grama drought response. We collected soil from three blue grama-dominated sites (those proposed to sample here) across a 150 mm mean annual precipitation gradient in SW Montana, USA, to use as inoculum for a greenhouse drought experiment. Preliminary results indicate that soil climate history has a strong influence on the blue grama physiological response to drought as well as on the chemical composition of root exudates and rhizosphere microbiome composition. Metabarcoding data from this experiment is scheduled to be submitted to public databases within the next year. Having in-depth analyses of the soil biogeochemistry and metagenomic composition through the MONet project at each of the field sites associated with this experiment will allow us to link underlying ecological processes with observed patterns of plant growth and productivity at each site. In addition, we plan to utilize the MONet database for future meta-analyses to compare the genomic and biogeochemical signatures of our field sites to others across a wider precipitation gradient throughout the native range of blue grama. This will further provide critical insights into the mechanisms that drive ecosystem functioning and resilience to drought stress.

Peyton, Brent↗

DOE OSTI2023

Data for EMSL Project 60929 from August 2023: PI Goemann MONet Request

Just as humans rely on a healthy gut microbiome for resilience to illness, plants rely on a healthy root microbiome for resilience to environmental abiotic stress (heat, drought). To achieve a healthy root microbiome, plants release carbon (C)-rich compounds as root exudates to stimulate microbial activity and increase local nutrient mineralization. However, the enhanced performance comes at a cost: up to 44% of a plant’s C can be lost to root exudates, diverting C from plant growth and respiration. Critical knowledge gaps include how the ‘C cost’ is managed and how root exudates alter the microbiome under different environmental conditions. In addition, historical climate conditions, particularly mean annual precipitation, is known to shape local soil microbiomes and alter their sensitivity to drought. Therefore, studies that better characterize the plant-microbe responses to environmental stress will aid in efforts to harness the microbiome to improve crop resilience. However, current knowledge gaps make it challenging to engineer beneficial plant-microbe interactions to improve plant productivity in agricultural systems and to predict how increased climate variability will alter terrestrial C fluxes and climate feedbacks. To fill this knowledge gap our research group at Montana State University – Bozeman is currently studying blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis), a prairie grass native across the Northern Great Plains, as a model for drought tolerance. Our goal is to investigate the above- and belowground responses of blue grama to drought and heat stress to improve our understanding of stress-induced carbon allocation and plant-microbe interactions. Most recently, we investigated the influence of climate history on the blue grama drought response. We collected soil from three blue grama-dominated sites (those proposed to sample here) across a 150 mm mean annual precipitation gradient in SW Montana, USA, to use as inoculum for a greenhouse drought experiment. Preliminary results indicate that soil climate history has a strong influence on the blue grama physiological response to drought as well as on the chemical composition of root exudates and rhizosphere microbiome composition. Metabarcoding data from this experiment is scheduled to be submitted to public databases within the next year. Having in-depth analyses of the soil biogeochemistry and metagenomic composition through the MONet project at each of the field sites associated with this experiment will allow us to link underlying ecological processes with observed patterns of plant growth and productivity at each site. In addition, we plan to utilize the MONet database for future meta-analyses to compare the genomic and biogeochemical signatures of our field sites to others across a wider precipitation gradient throughout the native range of blue grama. This will further provide critical insights into the mechanisms that drive ecosystem functioning and resilience to drought stress.

Peyton, Brent↗

DOE OSTI2023

Data for EMSL Project 60929 from August 2023: PI Goemann MONet Request

Just as humans rely on a healthy gut microbiome for resilience to illness, plants rely on a healthy root microbiome for resilience to environmental abiotic stress (heat, drought). To achieve a healthy root microbiome, plants release carbon (C)-rich compounds as root exudates to stimulate microbial activity and increase local nutrient mineralization. However, the enhanced performance comes at a cost: up to 44% of a plant’s C can be lost to root exudates, diverting C from plant growth and respiration. Critical knowledge gaps include how the ‘C cost’ is managed and how root exudates alter the microbiome under different environmental conditions. In addition, historical climate conditions, particularly mean annual precipitation, is known to shape local soil microbiomes and alter their sensitivity to drought. Therefore, studies that better characterize the plant-microbe responses to environmental stress will aid in efforts to harness the microbiome to improve crop resilience. However, current knowledge gaps make it challenging to engineer beneficial plant-microbe interactions to improve plant productivity in agricultural systems and to predict how increased climate variability will alter terrestrial C fluxes and climate feedbacks. To fill this knowledge gap our research group at Montana State University – Bozeman is currently studying blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis), a prairie grass native across the Northern Great Plains, as a model for drought tolerance. Our goal is to investigate the above- and belowground responses of blue grama to drought and heat stress to improve our understanding of stress-induced carbon allocation and plant-microbe interactions. Most recently, we investigated the influence of climate history on the blue grama drought response. We collected soil from three blue grama-dominated sites (those proposed to sample here) across a 150 mm mean annual precipitation gradient in SW Montana, USA, to use as inoculum for a greenhouse drought experiment. Preliminary results indicate that soil climate history has a strong influence on the blue grama physiological response to drought as well as on the chemical composition of root exudates and rhizosphere microbiome composition. Metabarcoding data from this experiment is scheduled to be submitted to public databases within the next year. Having in-depth analyses of the soil biogeochemistry and metagenomic composition through the MONet project at each of the field sites associated with this experiment will allow us to link underlying ecological processes with observed patterns of plant growth and productivity at each site. In addition, we plan to utilize the MONet database for future meta-analyses to compare the genomic and biogeochemical signatures of our field sites to others across a wider precipitation gradient throughout the native range of blue grama. This will further provide critical insights into the mechanisms that drive ecosystem functioning and resilience to drought stress.

Peyton, Brent↗