Investigating the Impact of the Removal of Andropogon Virginicus on the Soil Bacterial Microbiome of the Longleaf Pine
Disciplines
Environmental Microbiology and Microbial Ecology | Forest Management | Genomics | Other Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Abstract (300 words maximum)
The longleaf pine (Pinus palustris), native to the Southeastern United States, is part of an endangered, pyrophytic ecosystem. The longleaf pine plays a significant role in the environment and is an important economic resource. It is currently considered the third most endangered ecosystem in the United States. Little is known about the microbial community within this ecosystem. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of the removal of two dominant herbaceous species (Pityopsis nervosa and Andropogon sp.) on the bacterial soil microbiome of an area under restoration for the longleaf pine in the Piedmont region of Georgia. We focused on the effect of removing Andropogon sp., the second-most dominant grass species in the longleaf pine ecosystem. This species is notable for its ability to contribute to forest fires, which are necessary to the regeneration of the longleaf pine. Two longleaf pine restoration sites were chosen for this study. At each, six blocks were randomly set up containing four randomized subplots with one of the following treatments: control, removal of Andropogon sp., removal of Pityopsis nervosa, and soil disturbance. Soil samples were taken from each subplot in each block and DNA was extracted from soil using a commercially available kit. Further genetic analysis was performed to identify the bacteria that inhabit the soil microbiome in each treatment. Preliminary results include the presence of Proteobacteria and Planctomycetes. Planctomycetes are a phylum of terrestrial bacteria that inhabit soil microbial communities and are most notable for their ability to go through anammox in the nitrogen cycle. Proteobacteria are well known for their role in carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur cycling in soil. These results indicate key microbial groups and their functions to better understand the relationship between microbes and the herbaceous species the longleaf pine relies on.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
CSM - Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Paula C. Jackson
Investigating the Impact of the Removal of Andropogon Virginicus on the Soil Bacterial Microbiome of the Longleaf Pine
The longleaf pine (Pinus palustris), native to the Southeastern United States, is part of an endangered, pyrophytic ecosystem. The longleaf pine plays a significant role in the environment and is an important economic resource. It is currently considered the third most endangered ecosystem in the United States. Little is known about the microbial community within this ecosystem. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of the removal of two dominant herbaceous species (Pityopsis nervosa and Andropogon sp.) on the bacterial soil microbiome of an area under restoration for the longleaf pine in the Piedmont region of Georgia. We focused on the effect of removing Andropogon sp., the second-most dominant grass species in the longleaf pine ecosystem. This species is notable for its ability to contribute to forest fires, which are necessary to the regeneration of the longleaf pine. Two longleaf pine restoration sites were chosen for this study. At each, six blocks were randomly set up containing four randomized subplots with one of the following treatments: control, removal of Andropogon sp., removal of Pityopsis nervosa, and soil disturbance. Soil samples were taken from each subplot in each block and DNA was extracted from soil using a commercially available kit. Further genetic analysis was performed to identify the bacteria that inhabit the soil microbiome in each treatment. Preliminary results include the presence of Proteobacteria and Planctomycetes. Planctomycetes are a phylum of terrestrial bacteria that inhabit soil microbial communities and are most notable for their ability to go through anammox in the nitrogen cycle. Proteobacteria are well known for their role in carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur cycling in soil. These results indicate key microbial groups and their functions to better understand the relationship between microbes and the herbaceous species the longleaf pine relies on.