PAOC Colloquium: Laura Meredith (UofA)

“Microbe-mediated trace gas fluxes—linking ecosystem genomics to atmospheric composition”

Microorganisms play a significant role in driving biogeochemical cycles. These cycles include biosphere-atmosphere exchange of trace gases (e.g., CO2, CH4) that influence atmospheric composition and climate. Soils teem with microbial life that produce and consume trace gases. Understanding microbe-environment interactions is critical for predicting the response of terrestrial ecosystems to changes in land use and climate.

In my research, I quantify the microbial imprint on atmospheric composition and climate using an interdisciplinary set of methods, ranging from genomics to micrometeorology. My work focuses on resolving the genomic underpinnings of microbe-mediated biogeochemical transformations in soils that drive significant atmospheric fluxes (e.g., H2, COS, 18O-CO2, CO2, CH4). The goal of my work is to determine when and how projections of biogeochemical transformations are improved by better representation of underlying biological drivers.