EAGER-NEON: Exploring Ecosystem Contributions of Microbial Diversity to the Vertical Atmosphere

Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo MI

Investigators

Abstract

Little is known about airborne microbial communities (AMCs), which include bacteria and fungi. The project will sample the composition of AMCs at five altitudes above four natural ecosystem types in North America that are characterized by NEON core sites. A novel combination of tethered and launched balloon-borne samplers will be used to collect samples up to 25 km in the atmosphere. Within the ecosystems, samples over urban and non-urban areas will be collected. The characterization of this little know life zone will contribute to a basic knowledge of the life around us and help to better understand biosphere function and human impacts on it. This exploratory research will sample bacteria, archaea, and fungi in the atmosphere. Validated aerial microbial samplers using balloon technology will be employed. Atmospheric measures will be compared with surface samples. Abundances will be quantified by genetic sequencing. NEON data will be used to determine soil microbes and dominant vegetation, which will be evaluated as predictors of AMCs. Descriptions of the data and hypothesis tests on the similarity of samples by ecosystem, altitude, season, and urbanization will be carried out using statistical methods common in vegetation community studies. Broader impacts, in addition to increasing basic knowledge, will include training opportunities for undergraduate honors students, pairing biology and engineering majors and targeted at under-represented groups.