NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2021: Effects of community interactions in scaling of microbial processes

Bertolet, Brittni L, Notre Dame IN

Investigators

Abstract

This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2021, Integrative Research Investigating the Rules of Life Governing Interactions Between Genomes, Environment and Phenotypes. The fellowship supports research and training of the fellow that will contribute to the area of Rules of Life in innovative ways. Specifically, this research will provide new understanding of how microorganisms in leaf litter (bacteria and fungi in dead leaves and grasses) respond to drought and influence the recycling of carbon from plant materials to the atmosphere. This research is critical for understanding how grasslands may respond under future climate conditions, as feedbacks between global environmental change and ecosystems influence a number of environmental services that disproportionately affect low-income communities. Specifically, feedbacks between grassland ecosystems and drought in Southern California negatively impact air quality and increase fire risk. Additionally, as a part of the training plan, the fellow will contribute to the teaching and mentoring of people from underrepresented groups in academia through organized workshops for community college transfer students. The fellow will use experimental and theoretical approaches in order to determine the mechanistic basis of how microbial physiology at the population- and community-scale influences ecosystem function in grasslands. Specifically, the fellow will use laboratory experiments of culturable leaf litter microbes and a trait-based model of microbial dynamics that predicts decomposition from microbial physiology and environmental conditions to test two hypotheses: 1. Observed community-average traits of leaf litter microbes (growth, extracellular enzyme activity, and stress tolerance) are not equal to the average of individuals. 2. Positive non-additive effects are more prevalent under moderate drought scenarios. This fellow will gain training in data generation and data-model integration that will be used to generate generalizable understanding of how microbial communities respond to environmental change and influence ecosystem processes. Additionally, to provide mentoring and research opportunities for students from non-traditional and previously excluded backgrounds in academia, the fellow will organize a 10-week workshop series for community college transfer students. This workshop series is aimed at community college transfer students because increases in the enrollment of Black, Latinx, and other underrepresented communities in higher education are primarily driven by community college enrollment. This program will help to increase student sense of belonging and academic confidence through group mentoring and provide opportunities to become involved in undergraduate research. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.