National Science Foundation
Award Abstract # 2039525
Collaborative Research: Biomass burning smoke as a driver of multi-scale microbial teleconnections
NSF Grant Award Page
Award Abstract # 2039525
Collaborative Research: Biomass burning smoke as a driver of multi-scale microbial teleconnections
NSF Grant Award Page
Overview
Microbes are found in all environments and play essential roles in nutrient cycling, gas exchange, and through associations with plants and animals. However, the ways that microbes are transported from one environment to another are not well understood. Each year, wildland fires emit millions of tons of smoke particles into the atmosphere and these particles likely carry microbes with them. Traditionally, wildfires have been studied in terms of direct impacts to terrestrial biota and the chemistry and physics of the atmosphere, but the role of smoke as an agent of biological dispersal has yet to be explored. Grasslands are one of the most widespread and frequently burned ecosystems, so this research will examine the impacts of smoke-driven microbial dispersal in tallgrass prairies of the central United States. Smoke sampling will be conducted using a combination of unmanned aerial vehicles flying into smoke plumes and combustion experiments and soil incubations that mimic conditions in nature. This project uses an integrated approach to better understand the consequences of smoke to human, plant, and animal health across all environments where wildland fire occurs. The increasing size and severity of global wildfires, leading to increased interaction between biomass burning smoke and human populations, make this research relevant to a wide range of stakeholders including those interested in the potential transport of pathogenic microbes. In addition to mentoring three post-doctoral scholars, a graduate student, and undergraduate summer interns, the results will be disseminated to local communities through existing K-12 and informal learning programs at the Konza Prairie LTER and NEON sites.
Simultaneous Multi-Drone Sampling
Laboratory Inundation of Soils With Smoke
Collaborators
Brent Christner
University of Florida
David Vuono
Colorado School of Mines
Eric Rowell
Desert Research Institute
Adam Kochanski
San Jose State University
Ali Tohidi
San Jose State University
Brent Christner
University of Florida
David Vuono
Colorado School of Mines
Eric Rowell
Desert Research Institute
Adam Kochanski
San Jose State University
Ali Tohidi
San Jose State University