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Network analysis of soil organic matter molecular chemistry to enable more robust modeling of C cycle along ecosystem gradients


EMSL Project ID
49247

Abstract

We will explore graphical network analysis of ultra-high resolution FTICR-MS datasets as the first step to derive a quantitative measure of soil organic matter quality that can inform microbially explicit biogeochemical components of C dynamics. A graphical network approach has been used successfully to identify metabolic pathways in dissolved organic matter in marine ecosystems but has not been adapted to soil. The near term goal is to identify the dominant chemical reactions within the water extractable soil organic matter using network centrality concepts. We will test this hypothesis on existing Soil Organic Matter (SOM) FTICR-MS datasets from diverse ecosystems and validate observed trends on a short time scale using enzymatic degradation of soil pore water. Identification of the dominant chemical reactions relating complex and simple C pools can inform microbial explicit C cycle models.

Project Details

Start Date
2016-04-27
End Date
2016-09-30
Status
Closed

Team

Principal Investigator

Nancy Hess
Institution
Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory

Team Members

Emilie AH Purvine
Institution
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Malak Tfaily
Institution
University of Arizona

Rosalie Chu
Institution
Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory

Alejandro Heredia-Langner
Institution
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory