biogeochemistry

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.proxy.lib.iastate.edu:2048/doi/10.1111/j....

I am looking for a highly motivated and enthusiastic undergraduate to participate
in the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) in Biogeosciences at
Iowa State University
(http://www.abe.iastate.edu/research-groups/biogeoreu/overview.html). The
REU position will be part of larger USDA-NASA funded project investigating
soil nutrients, microbial processes, greenhouse gas emissions, soil run-off,
root growth and architecture, and plant community production within
conventional agricultural and prairie biomass systems.

I am a PhD Candidate in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Program. I am interested in the effect of environmental gradients and land management on microbial community abundance and activity and, in turn, how changes in microbial communities feedback to influence nutrient cycling. My research focuses on the effect of alternative biomass cropping systems on carbon and nitrogen cycling, with specific focus on denitrification at the Landscape Biomass Project @ the Uthe Farm.
Email: sharg(at)iastate.edu
Website: http://sharg.public.iastate.edu

Kirsten Hofmockel is an assistant professor in the Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology Department at Iowa State University.  She directs the Microbial Ecology Laboratory, which focuses on connecting microscale mechanism to ecosystem-scale biogeochemical processes.
khof@iastate.edu
515-294-2589

Denitrification is a crucial aspect of the N cycle, transforming terrestrial N into atmospheric N.  While this can reduce eutrophication of aquatic systems, it can also product N2O, a potent greenhouse gas.  At present there is a critical need to understand the underlying microbiology that drives denitrification so land managers can maximize the benefits of denitrification and minimize greenhouse gas emissions. Our research consists of both field measurements and laboratory manipulations aimed at linking microbiology to ecosystem denitrification rates.

A critical gap in making progress toward ecologically beneficial farming practices is an explicit understanding of how soils store carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) over the long term. Farmers are facing new challenges that require management practices for improving soil quality, increasing both belowground (live roots) and aboveground (live cover) biomass, increasing soil organic matter, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. To identify optimal man¬agement strategies, an understanding of microbial processes that regulate C and N cycling is essential.