Jacob Zidek

Date of Award

2020

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Natural Sciences

First Advisor

Diaz-Almeyda, Erika

Area of Concentration

Biology

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the dynamics of microbes from soil samples of an urban environment. The soil microbiome plays a necessary role in the cycling of various nutrients including carbon, likely plays a role in human health, and is likely impacted by human land developments. For this purpose, we compared samples from managed and unmanaged areas of an urban farm, lawns managed with and without fertilizer and pesticides, and a native preserve. A total of 72 soil samples were collected of organic carbon and nutrient quantification paired with soil microbiome analysis. For the managed urban setting samples were collected at the Florida House Institute (FHI), a green institute that demonstrates multiple gardening and land care techniques on its grounds including an organic urban food forest, a native thicket, and a bioswale running the perimeter of the grounds. FHI also allowed access to soil samples for lawns managed without the use of fertilizers and pesticides as well as access to soil samples directly under the house that have not had any plants grown in them since the soil was initially moved there. Lawns managed with fertilizers and pesticides were sampled from the surrounding properties such as the Fab Lab. Red Bug Slough Preserve (RBS) was used as the native preserve sample location with little urban development of its land. Organic carbon, nutrient, and general microbial diversity were examined through grouping samples by general location, primary plant general family in proximity to where the sample was taken, and whether the primary plant where soil was collected was a native or introduced species. Findings indicated that introduced species have significantly more organic carbon available in their soils when compared to native plant soils and soils where no primary plant could be identified. There were significant differences in organic carbon content of soils at the plant species level, and FHI soils were shown to have significantly more organic carbon than lawn soils, but similar levels to soils collected from under FHI as well as from RBS. A combination of nutrients sampled showed variation clustered most notably by location as well as by native or introduced primary plant species. While microbial alpha diversity calculated at the species level was relatively similar across all samples, FHI soils were significantly more diverse than under the house soils, but not more diverse than lawn or RBS soils.

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