Background: An underexplored benefit of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) is the potential to reduce emissions of the potent greenhouse gas (GHG) nitrous oxide (N2O)1,2. The underpinning mechanism remains obscure, but it is established that AMF drive alteration in soil communities both in general3 and specifically in relation to nitrogen cycling1,4. Understanding and managing this interaction has potential for soil emission reduction, a key goal in the Net Zero agenda.
Objectives: We will use an established microcosm design and a combination of stable isotope tracing, molecular community analysis and modelling approaches (e.g., community population dynamics, flux balance analysis, pathway analysis and structural equation modelling5) to dissect the interaction between two discrete soil functional groups (AM fungi and N-cycling soil microbiota) to drive understanding of a key soil ecological question: Can we utilise community management to reduce N2O emission from soil?
Novelty: Integration of lab-based and modelling methods applied to N-cycling microbial groups will allow the generation of a framework to understand mycorrhizal regulation of microbial N-cycling processes. An iterative approach will allow modelling to inform empirical experiments, with the data produced calibrating, validating and refining an evolving model framework.
Timeliness: GHG emissions from fertilised soils represent a major recalcitrant problem for agriculture in the context of achieving of Net Zero. N2O release is a biological process that, recent research suggests, may be reduced in mycorrhizal systems. This project offers an enviable opportunity to both drive fundamental understanding of soil ecology and shed light on an opportunity to aid the control of GHG emissions.
Outline plan; M1-3: The student will complete Sheffield and ACCE induction processes, and within the first three months visit the Hutton sites and complete student induction processes. This will familiarise the student with the wider facilities of Sheffield, Hutton and BioSS, and encourage the integration of experimental and modelling approaches that are central to the project. The student will start on their literature review, research laboratory approaches and lead development of experimental designs that are suitable for subsequent use of data for modelling. M3-12: The student will undertake specific training in modelling approaches, formulate potential modelling frameworks and further refine experimental designs to match model data requirements. An initial experiment will utilise an existing microcosm design that allows soil N2O fluxes to be independently quantified from mycorrhizal and root-only compartments. Soil treatments (e.g., density, moisture) will be used to drive differences in N cycling, concurrent with assessment of mycorrhizal and N-cycling microbial community dynamics. These results will be used for initial model parameterisation. The student will present project aims and preliminary results at the organisations’ and ACCE student research events and at an early career conference (e.g. BSSS); and complete a draft literature review for their thesis and in preparation for their PhD progression interview. M12-18: With supervisors, the student will design and implement experimental plans to test specific hypotheses generated from integration of experimental results with prototype system models. The proposed PhD addresses the open question of how mycorrhizal colonization of root systems mitigate nitrous oxide emissions, and therefore the path of experimentation following the first experiment will be guided by the student’s results. This provides the student with scope to drive the project in a number of directions. Importantly, this innovation will include iterative development of modelling approaches best suited to these research directions.
This is a joint studentship with The James Hutton Institute, University of Sheffield and Bioinformatics & Statistics Scotland, and is part of the NERC funded Doctoral Training Partnership “ACCE” (Adapting to the Challenges of a Changing Environment). For more information about ACCE and how to apply please visit the website https://accedtp.ac.uk/
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