Earth, Atmosphere & Environment Sciences
Title : | Unveiling the microbial dynamics of nutrient cycling in the Chorabari glacier forefield |
Area of research : | Earth, Atmosphere & Environment Sciences |
Focus area : | Microbiology |
Principal Investigator : | Dr. Hillol Chakdar, National Bureau of Agriculturally Important Microorganisms, Kushmaur, Uttar Pradesh |
Timeline Start Year : | 2024 |
Timeline End Year : | 2027 |
Contact info : | hillol.chakdar@gmail.com |
Details
Executive Summary : | Under the present scenario of global warming, it is expected that a large amount of area will be deglaciated in the coming decade. Therefore, studying the forefield of retreating glacier will provide an insight of the probable process of microbial colonization and contribution to the biogeochemical cycling of the major nutrients so as to make such habitats suitable for growth of higher plants. This will create a base line information at the country level as such studies have not been undertaken in India yet. The study will provide a clear picture as to the types of metabolic potential associated with the glacial forefields under in situ conditions. Further it will demonstrate that glacier forefields are promising model systems to study soil formation along microbial successions. The results of studied transects will indicate furthermore that microbial successions such as growth or dominance of certain phyla or taxa are not necessarily coupled to soil formation if, for instance, carbon and nitrogen are limited. This finding will support the hypothesis that terrestrial ecosystems in the state of initial habitat formation are characterized by highly diverse but undifferentiated microbial communities, which preserve a broad range of genetic potentials. Low metabolic activity seems to be one important aspect to maintain these diverse communities. With the rapidly expanding forefield, it is important that we as microbiologists continue to strive to better understand the role of microbes in geochemical cycling in these natural systems, and to seize opportunities to harness the novel microbial potential available to us from these unique ecosystems. This will not only expand our understanding of microbial diversity, evolution, and functional capacity, but enable us to contribute to solving some of the most urgent challenges being faced in agriculture due to abiotic stresses under climate change by developing new microbially driven technologies for environmental rehabilitation. The linkage between microbial processes and geochemistry within the geochemical analysis of glacial sediments will show evidence of biological energy and carbon transformations. |
Co-PI: | Dr. Kumar M, National Bureau of Agriculturally Important Microorganisms, Kushmaur, Uttar Pradesh, Dr. Alok Kumar srivastava, National Bureau of Agriculturally Important Microorganisms, Kushmaur, Uttar Pradesh, Dr. Vasu D, ICAR- National Bureau of soil survey And Land Use Planning, Nagpur, Maharashtra |
Total Budget (INR): | 51,16,360 |
Organizations involved