Awardees

Austen Apigo, PhD
Treseder Lab

Research:
Predicting whether ecosystems will release more carbon than they store depends on understanding how microbial communities release carbon from decomposing plant litter. Studies on plant litter decomposition tend to focus on fungi that live freely in the soil because they are known to produce enzymes that break down plant cell walls. Yet, whether and how fungi that live inside plants as fungal endophytes contribute to litter decomposition and the extent to which climate and litter chemistry influence this ecological function are still open questions. This postdoctoral fellowship project will reciprocally transplant fungal endophyte communities and plant litter across a dramatic precipitation and temperature gradient to understand how changes in climate, the species composition of the fungal endophyte community, and the chemical composition of plant litter influence the decomposition of plant litter by funga

Daniel Roy Deon Rankins
German & Connor Labs

Research:
Within our guts lies a diverse microbial community that aids digestion and regulates immune function and metabolism. The microbiome has become a key focus in science, and my dissertation centers on how these communities and the gut itself respond to dietary and environmental changes. I am currently analyzing metagenomic data from dietarily diverged Italian Wall Lizard populations to reveal how microbiomes adapt functionally to dietary shifts. These findings can inform not only dietary capacity in captive animal practices (e.g., aquaculture or zoo settings) but also medical approaches to producing beneficial gut products through targeted dietary changes.”