Inorganic carbon fixation ability by nitrifying bacteria in carbon-depleted soil - elucidation of its control factors

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21H02324
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 41050:Environmental agriculture-related
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: Uchida Yoshitaka 北海道大学, 農学研究院, 准教授 (70705251)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 龍見 史恵 北海道大学, 農学研究院, 特別研究員(PD) (30883417)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 炭素循環

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study was conducted in relation to the worldwide problem of carbon-depleted soils, which are produced by excessive fertilization and tillage, although the productivity and fertility of agricultural soils depend on the amount of organic-form carbon. With the urgent need for labor-saving technology to restore degraded soils, we conducted research focusing on nitrifying bacteria and archaea, which are autotrophic microorganisms that fix inorganic carbon (carbon dioxide (CO2)) as organic-form carbon. Based on the phenomenon that the amount of microorganisms decreases in carbon-depleted soils, but nitrifying bacteria conversely increase and diversify, we conducted a study to examine quantitative changes in inorganic carbon-fixing genes using predictive metagenomic methods based on this trend.

Free Research Field

窒素循環、炭素循環

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は世界規模課題である劣化土壌の広まりを食い止め、その回復を促す技術の確立に寄与するための基礎情報を蓄積できる。またそのカギとなる微生物として硝化菌に着目しているが、硝化菌はこれまで窒素循環との関連性のみが広く注目され研究されてきた。この研究では、硝化菌のCO2資化という能力に注目している部分においても意義がある。