What is the role of microbial dark matter in the stability of ecosystems?
Science / Life Sciences
As we explore the mysteries of nature, a fundamental question arises: how does biodiversity affect ecosystem stability? Several players in this intricate balance may be hidden within Microbial Dark Matter (MDM), a significant fraction of the microbial community yet to be identified or classified. Recent efforts have discovered hundreds of new organisms in MDM that have expanded the tree of life by 15% and are crucial in regulating biogeochemical cycles, such as carbon and nitrogen cycling, essential to the planet’s functioning. In this project, we will investigate MDM diversity and its interactions with the environment. We will dissect the cellular and molecular mechanisms, thus discovering its ecological roles, from the depths of the oceans to our intestines.
