Collaborative Research: Applying a novel approach to link microbial growth efficiency, function and energy transfer in the ocean

Information

  • NSF Award
  • 2219794
Owner
  • Award Id
    2219794
  • Award Effective Date
    9/1/2023 - 9 months ago
  • Award Expiration Date
    8/31/2026 - 2 years from now
  • Award Amount
    $ 597,248.00
  • Award Instrument
    Standard Grant

Collaborative Research: Applying a novel approach to link microbial growth efficiency, function and energy transfer in the ocean

This project investigates the factors determining where and why microbes are the most efficient at turning carbon into biomass within the upper several hundred meters of the ocean. Microbial growth efficiency is a critical ecological parameter that describes the energy required by microbes for biomass production and defines the proportion of carbon lost from marine microbial food webs through respiration—conversion of organic carbon into carbon dioxide. Despite its significance, there is a limited understanding of the drivers of microbial efficiency. Assessing microbial efficiency variation across different marine microbes is hindered by the difficulty of directly measuring the energy used for biomass production. This project uses new methods to estimate microbial energy conversion within cells and compare it to measurements of other metabolic processes such as respiration and primary production. Additionally, the researchers measure environmental nutrient concentration, oxygen concentration, temperature, pH, and microbial community structure from diverse oceanographic environments in the California Current ecosystem to include within mathematical models for interpreting and predicting microbial carbon flow. In addition, this project provides education and at-sea research training opportunities for new scientists, including graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, and a cohort of undergraduate students from groups historically underrepresented in the marine sciences. <br/><br/>This project aims to identify the ecological conditions and microbial taxa that account for the variance in microbial growth efficiency along light and nutrient gradients in the ocean. The project uses data collected on an oceanographic research expedition in the California Current ecosystem along the central and southern California coast, a well-characterized and heterogenous region broadly representative of key ecosystems in the global ocean. Microbial growth efficiency measurements are being made using an innovative combination of two new radioisotope tracer-based techniques, flow cytometry, and microbial community structure analysis. In addition, the researchers use machine learning techniques to provide predictive analytics and link microbial community structure, abundance, efficiency, and environmental conditions.<br/><br/>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.

  • Program Officer
    Cynthia Suchmancsuchman@nsf.gov7032922092
  • Min Amd Letter Date
    10/26/2022 - a year ago
  • Max Amd Letter Date
    10/26/2022 - a year ago
  • ARRA Amount

Institutions

  • Name
    University of Miami
  • City
    CORAL GABLES
  • State
    FL
  • Country
    United States
  • Address
    1251 MEMORIAL DR
  • Postal Code
    33146
  • Phone Number
    3054214089

Investigators

  • First Name
    Kimberly
  • Last Name
    Popendorf
  • Email Address
    kpopendorf@rsmas.miami.edu
  • Start Date
    10/26/2022 12:00:00 AM

Program Element

  • Text
    BIOLOGICAL OCEANOGRAPHY
  • Code
    1650

Program Reference

  • Text
    CARBON CYCLE RESEARCH
  • Code
    1389
  • Text
    Marine Microbial Ecology
  • Code
    8811
  • Text
    MARINE BIOTECHNOLOGY
  • Code
    9117