水圈微生物重大研究计划:聚焦水圈微生物组研究的核心科学问题

Focusing on Key Scientific Issues of Microbiome Research in Hydrosphere: NSFC Major Research Plan for Microbes in Hydrosphere

水圈包括海洋、湖沼、河流、冰川、地下水等,水圈中居住着地球上一半以上的微生物,包括细菌、古菌、真菌、藻类、病毒等,蕴含着地球上最大的微生物组。已有的研究表明,水圈微生物在重要元素生物地球化学循环中发挥关键驱动作用。但是,人们对水圈微生物组的核心科学问题,即微生物如何发挥驱动作用至今了解不多。最近,国家自然科学基金委员会"水圈微生物驱动地球元素循环的机制"重大研究计划(简称"水圈微生物计划")正式立项。该计划拟选择典型水圈环境,解析微生物群落构建及与环境之间的相互作用、微生物物质与能量代谢机制以及微生物代谢活动的生态学意义与贡献,从而揭示水圈微生物驱动碳、氮、硫等元素生物地球化学循环的机制。文章简述了该计划提出的背景与依据,以及涉及的主要科学问题和研究设想。

The hydrosphere includes oceans, lakes, rivers, glaciers, wetlands, groundwater, etc. It is home to over half of the microorganisms, such as bacteria, archaea, fungi, algae, viruses, on the Earth, and therefore harbors the largest environmental microbiome. Studies show that microorganisms in hydrosphere are the key drive in biogeochemical cycling of important elements on the Earth. Nevertheless, it remains to be fully understood as to how microorganisms serve the drive role （a key scientific issue of research on microbiome in hydrosphere）. Recently, National Natural Science Foundation of China （NSFC） launched a Major Research Initiative titled ＇Mechanisms Underlining Elemental Cycling on the Earth by Microorganisms in Hydrosphere＇ or ＇Microbes in Hydrosphere＇ in short. This Initiative calls for systematic investigation into microbial community structures and their interaction with the environments, mechanisms of microbial transformation of substances and energy, and the ecological functions and contributions of microbial activities in representative habitats in hydrosphere. The ultimate goal of the Initiative is to offer a clear view on the mechanisms underlining carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur cycling on the Earth by microorganisms in hydrosphere. This article briefly reviews the background, major scientific questions, and implementation plan of the Initiative.