Applying "R-osmos" to quantify hot-moments in a high mountain watershed: co-development of novel methodology to advance terrestrial-aquatic interface models
| Active Dates | 9/1/2021-8/31/2024 |
|---|---|
| Program Area | Environmental Systems Science |
Project Description
Applying "R-osmos" to quantify hot-moments in a high mountain
watershed:
co-development of novel methodology to advance terrestrial-aquatic interface models
Dr. Andrew R. Thurber, Oregon State University (Principal Investigator)
Dr. Frederick Colwell, Oregon State University (Co-Investigator)
Dr. Laura Lapham, University of Maryland, Center for Environmental Science(Co-Investigator)
Dr. Kenneth Williams, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Unfunded Co-Investigator)
Dr. Dipankar Dwivedi, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Unfunded Co-Investigator)
Watershed function is driven by habitat heterogeneity and microbial activity integrated over space and time. Different habitats experience redox zonation differently over seasons and across habitats water flow can lead to episodic release of reactants perturbing microbial communities and shifting biogeochemical cycles on local scales that can be significant enough to alter the overall system function. Features such as meanders can create such hot spots of biological activity, however they must be directly sampled to be understood. This project will quantify the impact of hot spots and moments on microbial rates at the DOE’s East River (ER) Science Focus Area (SFA) watershed, focusing on two critical processes: methane oxidation and nitrate reduction. We propose a novel method based on existing technologies to measure continuous, time-integrating, in-situ microbial rates to inform the magnitude and variation in biogeochemical processes across the terrestrial-aquatic interface. We will refine a reactive transport model for the habitat using these data.
To accomplish this goal, we will use uniquely configured osmotic samplers (OsmoSamplers) to continuously quantify the rate at which microbial communities transform methane and nitrate on either side of a meander. OsmoSamplers use a diffusion gradient to slowly pump water into tubes of such small diameter that sample mixing is negated. Multiple OsmoSamplers can be used together to continuously add solutes, preservatives, or collect samples for later analysis providing a record of hot moments in long-term datasets. In this work, we will use rate-osmotic samplers (R-osmos) to acquire spatially explicit rate measurements by adding nitrate and methane (separately) to discern transformation of these critical compounds. Rates will be coupled with quantifications of natural solute composition (both NO3 and CH4) and quantitative gene abundance for the relevant processes (i.e., genes responsible for nitrate reductase and methane monooxygenase) allowing us to connect solute, rate, and microbiome characteristics.
Dr. Andrew R. Thurber, Oregon State University (Principal Investigator)
Dr. Frederick Colwell, Oregon State University (Co-Investigator)
Dr. Laura Lapham, University of Maryland, Center for Environmental Science(Co-Investigator)
Dr. Kenneth Williams, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Unfunded Co-Investigator)
Dr. Dipankar Dwivedi, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Unfunded Co-Investigator)
Watershed function is driven by habitat heterogeneity and microbial activity integrated over space and time. Different habitats experience redox zonation differently over seasons and across habitats water flow can lead to episodic release of reactants perturbing microbial communities and shifting biogeochemical cycles on local scales that can be significant enough to alter the overall system function. Features such as meanders can create such hot spots of biological activity, however they must be directly sampled to be understood. This project will quantify the impact of hot spots and moments on microbial rates at the DOE’s East River (ER) Science Focus Area (SFA) watershed, focusing on two critical processes: methane oxidation and nitrate reduction. We propose a novel method based on existing technologies to measure continuous, time-integrating, in-situ microbial rates to inform the magnitude and variation in biogeochemical processes across the terrestrial-aquatic interface. We will refine a reactive transport model for the habitat using these data.
To accomplish this goal, we will use uniquely configured osmotic samplers (OsmoSamplers) to continuously quantify the rate at which microbial communities transform methane and nitrate on either side of a meander. OsmoSamplers use a diffusion gradient to slowly pump water into tubes of such small diameter that sample mixing is negated. Multiple OsmoSamplers can be used together to continuously add solutes, preservatives, or collect samples for later analysis providing a record of hot moments in long-term datasets. In this work, we will use rate-osmotic samplers (R-osmos) to acquire spatially explicit rate measurements by adding nitrate and methane (separately) to discern transformation of these critical compounds. Rates will be coupled with quantifications of natural solute composition (both NO3 and CH4) and quantitative gene abundance for the relevant processes (i.e., genes responsible for nitrate reductase and methane monooxygenase) allowing us to connect solute, rate, and microbiome characteristics.
Award Recipient(s)
- Oregon State University, Corvallis (PI: Thurber, Andrew)