[Microbialecologygroup] Dr. Wendy Yang seminar Wed April 6th

[Peter Homyak]

Please share with others!

*Speaker:* Dr. Wendy H. Yang, School of Integrative Biology, University of
Illinois Urbana-Champaign
*Time/Location:* Wednesday, April 6, 2022 @3:00 PM - 3:50 PM, MSE 103

You're invited!

*Title: *Opening the microbial black box to understand controls on soil
biogeochemical processes

*Abstract:* Microbes mediate biogeochemical cycling of carbon and nutrients
that underlie ecosystem function, yet the explicit role of microbes is
often not considered in biogeochemical studies. I will present four
vignettes that demonstrate how characterizing soil microbial community
composition and function can allow us to gain a better understanding of
controls on soil biogeochemical processes. First, I will show how
microtopographic variation in soil microbial community composition could
explain spatial heterogeneity in soil greenhouse gas emissions across
seemingly homogenous agricultural fields. Second, I will present how the
activity of different microorganisms harboring the nrfA functional gene for
dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium, an important ecosystem
nitrogen retention process traditionally thought to be restricted to anoxic
conditions, could contribute to the occurrence of DNRA under oxic
conditions. Third, I will explore the ecological implications of
hypothesized non-respiratory functions of the nitrous oxide reductase
enzyme, which has historically been associated with the anaerobic
respiratory process of denitrification. Fourth, I will share evidence of
how the mutualistic relationship between ectomycorrhizal fungi and their
host trees can vary depending on environmental context, resulting in
different drivers of ectomycorrhizal biogeochemical syndromes. Together,
these studies make a strong case for opening the microbial black box to
elucidate mechanisms leading to variation in soil biogeochemical processes
within and across ecosystems.

View upcoming seminars: https://envisci.ucr.edu/news-seminars

Peter M. Homyak, Ph.D. (he/him)

Assistant Professor of

Ecosystem and Soil Microbial Processes

Associate Editor: Elementa <https://www.elementascience.org/>

Dept. of Environmental Sciences

University of California, Riverside

900 University Ave

Riverside, CA 92521

Phomyak at ucr.edu

(951) 827-2358 | 312 Sci Lab I

http://petehomyak.weebly.com
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