Soils are the most diverse ecosystem on the planet. A single teaspoon of soil contains a staggering number of microbes—often billions of individual cells—including up to 1 billion bacteria. Researchers in the University of Maryland Center of Excellence in Microbiome Sciences are exploring how this diverse microbial community can affect agricultural output, the environment, and human and animal health.
Stephanie Yarwood, a professor of environmental science and technology and co-director of the center, explains in a video how her research on wetland restoration and agricultural management can impact microbial communities—and what implications those changes can have to nitrogen cycling, greenhouse gas emissions, and carbon storage.
The broad goal of her research is to uncover information that can improve soil management and lead to a more sustainable future. Recently, her work has focused on microorganisms involved in the production and consumption of greenhouse trace gases—nitrous oxide and methane.
Co-directing the center moving forward, Yarwood is excited about the opportunities for graduate students and postdocs to do hands-on research.
"I'm really excited to get them involved in the research, that's cutting edge, that's really advancing and pushing things forward," she says. "And those will be our next generation of microbiome scientists."
—Produced by UMIACS communications group