Metagenomics toolbox Part 2 – Improving the quality and accessibility of metagenomics data for sustainable and resilient forest ecosystems

Funding period: 2024-2028
Leads: Christine Martineau, Erik Emilson
Total GRDI funding: $301,000

The project objective is to improve the quality and accessibility of metagenomics tools to better assess and protect sustainability of forest ecosystems and allow for the development of knowledge-based forest resilience solutions. Microbial communities in soils carry out a multitude of processes underlying important ecosystem functions such as carbon cycling, food and fiber production, and pollutant breakdown. Similarly, the diverse communities of microorganisms are a vital determinant of water quality and the food webs that sustain aquatic ecosystems. Despite their fundamental ecological roles, the functions of most microbial taxa remain unclear because they fail to be cultivated under laboratory conditions. The project team extensively worked in the past few years on the development of molecular tools to study microbial taxonomic and functional diversity in soil and water.