This just came across my desk and thought some of you may be
interested.
Happy Harvesting
Vicki
Subject: Soil Micro Biology talk Thursday 4pm
CSS/Horticulture 2007 Fall Seminar Series
Thursday, September 13
4:10 pm - 5:00 pm
149 PSSB
Soil Microbiology, Perhaps the Greatest Frontier for Science in All of
Biology
by
Dr. James Tiedje
University Distinguished Professor
Director, Center for Microbial Ecology, MSU
The case in support of the title is that the soil harbors the largest
reservoir of undiscovered biological diversity on Earth. This is because
of
the huge number of niches, spatial isolation on a small scale and the
outcome of 3.8 billion years of evolution. The new molecular methods
have
allowed us to understand this diversity at the gene, genome and
metagenome
levels. I will give some examples that illustrate progress in
understanding
the extent of microbial diversity, how the new 454 (pyrosequencing) is
revolutionizing our understanding of soil microbial diversity, its
application to determine the impact of cropping systems in Ghana (for
carbon
sequestration) on the microbial community. At the genome level, I will
use
Burkholderia is an example: a microbial group that most commonly lives
on
roots of grassy plants (esp corn), but also causes disease in cystic
fibrosis patients, degrades pollutants, prevents as well as causes plant
diseases, fixes nitrogen - even in nodules of legume plants. Its
versatility may be due to its large genome and its arrangement into
three
replicons allowing for genetic flexibility. I will also mention the
rather
newly discovered nitrogen cycle process - anaerobic nitrification -
known as
anammox, as an example of a major diversity discovery that affects the
global N cycle.
Light refreshments will be available beginning at 4:00 p.m.
Jeremy Moghtader
Manager/Instructor
Student Organic Farm
Organic Farming Certificate Program
Michigan State University
517-230-7987
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