- Tree Root Microbiome Project
Soil is the most complex biomolecule known. As an ecosystem, it is hyper-diverse in species, hosting incredibly rich microbial life. It is also the interface of the mineral and organic world, where transformations bring minerals to life, and return living material back to minerals. Being able to accurately describe the biogeochemical nature and process of forest soils, and their interaction with the lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere (sensu trees), is central to our understanding of forest ecology.
Work in this objective is advancing our ability to characterise the biogeochemical nature of soils. It includes adoption of new spectra-based technologies for the rapid physicochemical assessment of forest soil samples, as well as techniques to better define the microbiome of soils and connected ecosystems. The work is foundational to the holistic characterisation of samples within the Tree-Microbiome programme, with direct spill-over benefits for routine forest soil testing (e.g. for productivity analysis).
Work in this objective is advancing our ability to characterise the biogeochemical nature of soils. It includes adoption of new spectra-based technologies for the rapid physicochemical assessment of forest soil samples, as well as techniques to better define the microbiome of soils and connected ecosystems. The work is foundational to the holistic characterisation of samples within the Tree-Microbiome programme, with direct spill-over benefits for routine forest soil testing (e.g. for productivity analysis).
- High-resolution, high throughput, low-cost forest soil analysis using mid infra-red spectroscopy
- Development of methods for microbiome analysis of the forest floor ecosystem
- Characterisation of soil microbial ‘dark-matter’ using novel culturing conditions and whole genome sequencing.
- Development of methodologies and techniques for inference-based determination of microbial genome size in complex samples
Explore the Tree Root Microbiome Project workstreams:
Tree Root Microbiome Project News
Identifying and sequencing new soil micro-organisms
Scion’s Lottie Armstrong is on the hunt for new soil micro-organisms to build understanding of life under the soil surface around the roots of radiata
Global connections in the tree root microbiome
The Tree Root Microbiome Project covers countries where radiata pine grows either naturally or as an introduced species. An international soil sampling initiative is underway:
Related searchable documents and reports
| Title | Date | Report Number | Author | Link | hf:doc_categories |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| How similar are the root microbiomes of attenuata x radiata hybrid seedlings to pure species? | January 21, 2025 | TRMP-TN002 | Natalie Graham & Steve Wakelin (Scion) | tree-root-microbiome-project-public | |
| Pilot Study – Influence of host genetics on the root microbiome in BC52_1 – September 2022 | January 21, 2025 | TRMP-TN001 | Natalie Graham & Kaitlyn Daley (Scion) | tree-root-microbiome-project-public | |
| Conferring drought tolerance to Pinus radiata by altering root microbiome associations | January 16, 2025 | TRMP-TN003 | Steve Wakelin (Scion) | tree-root-microbiome-project-public |
