Towards a molecular-level understanding of terrestrial organic matter transformations by microbes in a rapidly changing Arctic Ocean
EMSL Project ID
49965
Abstract
The fate of terrestrial organic matter in coastal seas and open oceans is not well understood. This is especially true in the Arctic Ocean, which is one of the largest depositories of terrestrial organic carbon on the planet. Much of this carbon originates from river runoff and remobilization of ancient permafrost carbon where it is largely inaccessible to microbial activity. However, global warming is now causing unprecedented changes in the Arctic, including permafrost thaw, increased river runoff, and increased transport of terrestrial organic material to the Arctic Ocean. How these changes will impact carbon cycling and Arctic marine ecosystem processes are difficult to predict due to a limited knowledge of the Arctic Ocean carbon-microbe system. The objective of our project is to provide a mechanistic understanding of microbial transformation of terrestrial organic matter in the Arctic Ocean by combining 'omics-based characterization of microbial communities with molecular-level characterization of dissolved organic matter. To meet this objective, we will 1) assess the metabolic capabilities of Western Arctic Ocean microbial communities through a combination of metagenomic/ metatranscriptomic analyses (with the JGI) and metaproteomics analyses (with EMSL) and 2) link the metabolic capabilities of microbial communities to the sources and composition of organic matter through 21T FT ICR MS analysis of Arctic Ocean organic matter (with EMSL). We expect our project to advance our understanding of the links between terrestrial organic carbon and coastal and marine biogeochemistry (i.e. the terrestrial-aquatic interface). The study will provide fundamental knowledge on processes and mechanisms that influence carbon sequestration and the impact of permafrost thaw on Arctic marine ecosystems. This enhanced understanding will facilitate more accurate predictions on the fate of newly released terrestrial carbon as the Arctic continues to warm, and contribute to better policy, planning and societal adaptation.
Project Details
Project type
FICUS Research
Start Date
2017-10-01
End Date
2019-09-30
Status
Closed
Released Data Link
Team
Principal Investigator
Co-Investigator(s)
Team Members