Characterization of microbial functional diversity in soil and plants samples collected from conserved and degraded Brazilian biomes.

• Grant number: 25/00286-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: May 01, 2025
• End date: April 30, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: Mauricio Bacci Junior
• Grantee: Alan Emanuel Silva Cerqueira
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Rio Claro. Rio Claro , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 21/10639-5 - Center for Research on Biodiversity Dynamics and Climate Change, AP.CEPID

Abstract

This project aims to characterize the functional diversity of the microbiome across six Brazilian biomes: Atlantic Forest, Cerrado, Pampas, Amazon, Pantanal, and Caatinga. Using techniques such as metatranscriptomics, the study will evaluate the impacts of environmental changes on microbial communities and identify genes and metabolic pathways essential for soil and plant health. The findings will be applied to develop microbial consortia for ecosystem restoration and sustainable agricultural practices. The study also explores microbial adaptations to land-use changes and degraded conditions, contributing to conservation strategies and sustainable management of Brazilian biomes.