Biology Professor Matthew Leibold has been awarded a 5-year grant from the National Science Foundation “Understanding the Rules of Life: Microbiome Theory and Mechanisms” initiative. The study, entitled “Searching for General Rules Governing Microbiome Dynamics Using Anaerobic Digesters as Model Systems,” is a collaborative effort with colleagues from the University of Oklahoma, UC-Davis and the University of Tennessee. The research will make use of laboratory anaerobic bioreactors and metagenomics-enabled modeling to determine the short-term dynamics and long-term stability of microbiome biodiversity responses to environmental changes. The study will identify the ecological rules governing microbiome dynamics in bioreactors and natural systems.
