Drivers of Soil Microbiome Structure and Function

As part of the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), we participate in the iSBio consortium (https://home.uni-leipzig.de/idiv/isbio/External link), where 106 institutions from 35 countries contribute to a study on soil microbiome function and biogeography. In our contribution to this project, Dr. Bala Singavarapu examines decomposition-related processes in soils worldwide using metagenomics. We also collaborate with iDiv scientists on the LUCAS Soil Biodiversity monitoring survey across the European Union. Moreover, in collaboration with the iDiv Ecotron (https://www.idiv.de/en/research/platforms-and-networks/idiv-ecotron.htmlExternal link) and the AquaDiva Collaborative Research Center, we study the responses of microbial communities to extreme weather events such as drought and heavy precipitation.

Additionally, we study the impact of specific biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) in publicly available soil metagenomic and metatranscriptomic datasets in partnership with various groups within the Excellence Cluster - Balance of the Microverse.