Microbes in the stain are constantly on the move , hunt , feeding , and releasing nutrients to flora . Ph.D. student Alejandro Berlinches de Gea survey these tiny being under the microscope . At the Dies Natalis on March 8 , he will explain what create soil microbiomes so engrossing and how important they are to the ecosystem .
surge in on microbiomesBacteria , molds , and other micro - organism are n’t on their own . All over the world , these tiniest of creatures grade communities . In industrial plant , brute , and in the soil : from ball to gut . To celebrate WUR ’s Dies Natalis , we join three young scientist and zoom in .
' When you look at grunge under a microscope , the matter you see there are amazing . It ’s like entering another earthly concern inhabited by alien . There are thousands of things there . I did n’t even agnise most of them when I start my PhD. I kept send icon to my supervisor , enquire him what I was look at . '
midget huntersAlejandro Berlinches de Gea studies protistan and nematode . These tiny being are surreptitious marauder , fertilize on bacterium , fungi , and pathogens in soils . Berlinches de Gea is astounded by what he run into under the microscope : ' protistan are super cool . Some of them go after nematodes , hunting in gang , just like king of beasts . sure protistan are even able to seize fair game and use their case as a shell ! '
Like many biologists , Berlinches de Gea was ab initio concerned in the bragging brute that often come out in nature documentaries . However , his care step by step shifted towards soils and bug . ' Many scientists already study shark and lions , but I really like being part of a mathematical group that ’s doing something rarified . On top of that , our research is also very challenging and very crucial . ' After all , the soil is a hot spot of biodiversity : some cogitation suggest that 60 % of the world ’s biodiversity is in the land . protist recreate a vital function below ground by releasing nutrients that can be take up by plant , feed on pathogens , and more .
Helping plantsBerlinches de Gea conducted experiments in the Unifarm greenhouses on the Wageningen Campus , adding different stratum of microbic multifariousness to plant . In one of these experiment , he added varying quantity of protists and nematodes as well as fertilizer to the soil to see how the plant life would oppose . ' My enquiry outcome suggest that we can accelerate plant ontogeny by supply microbial predators rather than using more and more fertilizer . Decreasing the exercise of fertilizer in agribusiness is an important challenge , so this might be a promising outcome . We know that several company are already considering the use of protists . '
Through his research , Berlinches de Gea is hop to make a positive impact on soil biodiversity . ' Since I started studying biology , I have been repel by a love of nature . Normally , we protect species that are cool , beautiful , and well - know . But how do you convince the great unwashed to protect organisms that they ca n’t even see ? That is why I ’m very happy to be a part of the Dies , where I can share my stories with a enceinte audience . '
origin : wur.nl
