Microbes play crucial roles in various biogeochemical processes in the ocean, including carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) cycling. Functional gene diversity and the structure of the microbial community determines its metabolic potential and therefore its ecological function in the marine ecosystem. However, little is known about the functional gene composition and metabolic potential...

Northwestern Alaska has been warming (0.3°C/yr) since the early 1990s. Ecotonal (treeline) Arctic ecosystems are expected to exhibit the effects of climate change earliest. High-latitude terrestrial ecosystems contain from 30 to 45 percent of the global organic-C pool. Soil warming may enhance release of CO2 and CH4, soil N mineralization, and the production and export of dissolved organic C an...

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the most frequently used group of pharmaceuticals. The high consumption and the uncontrolled disposal of unused drugs into municipal waste or their deposit in landfills can result in an increased concentration of these compounds in soils. Moreover, these drugs can affect the microbial activity. However, there is a lack of knowledge about these ...

Emissions of N2O from soils of the Southwestern US are thought to result from the activity of anaerobic denitrifying bacteria, but the seasonal dryness and sandy texture of these soils are more conducive to the activities of aerobic microbes. Here, we present incubations of semiarid soils with added compounds known to stimulate the N-cycling processes ammonification (proteins, oligopeptides, an...

Major nitrogen (N) pools and bacterial transformations of N were examined in carbonate sediments of 3 reefs in the central area of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Depth distributions of nitrate (NO3-) and ammonium (NH,+) and rates of NH4+ production, N2 fixation (nitrogenase activity by CzHz reduction) and denitrification were measured in muddy sediments of an inshore reef and in fine-. medi...

In this project, we will investigate how different rainfall impacts the dynamics of carbon stored in grassland soil, and the potential consequences for release of carbon and other nutrients from soils to streams. However, little is known of the microorganisms that play vital roles in the processing of this largely vegetation-derived soil carbon and how the metabolic activities that occur at dif...

The rate of nonexchangeable NH/ release from soils can have a significant effect on N dynamics and environmental quality. Nonexchangeable NH/ is that N fraction which is fixed in the interlayers of clay minerals. The objective of this study was to determine the kinetics of nonexchangeable NH4 release from two topsoils from Germany [Giessen Ap (Aqualf) and Hungen Ap (Alfisol)] and from two subso...

Bioremediation involves microbial metabolism of harmful substances. This study was undertaken to enhance oilspill bioremediation through the addition of sodium sulfate, sodium nitrate, and sodium phosphate to samples containing Pseudomonas fluorescens and Bacillus subtilis. Since these bacteria often utilize nitrates during cellular respiration and nitrate ammonification, respectively, it was h...

This proposal is in response to item 13 of the FCSHWM request for proposals asking for research that examines the long-term treatment and disposal options for landfill leachate. Mature landfill leachates will require a complex sequence of biological, physical, and chemical treatment processes to reach discharge limits. It is likely that ammonia-nitrogen, humics, and xenobiotic compounds in thes...

•In silico screening finds 87 putative L-asparaginases from brackish Caspian Sea•Three candidate genes, cloned and expressed in E. coli, showed the desired activity•In coupled with functional validation bypasses cultivation bottleneck By 27,000 publicly available prokaryotic genomes, we recovered ca. 6300 type I 5200 II L-asparaginase highlighting vast potential of prokaryotes. water similar sa...