Underground Explorers

The Brazilian Amazon is facing unprecedented threats, including increasing deforestation and degradation (fires, extreme droughts, timber extraction, and edge effects) that collectively impact half of the original forest area. Amazonian soil microbes are sensitive indicators of land conversion, which has been linked to a rise in microbial methane emissions and antibiotic-resistant genes. However, soil fungal communities have been neglected in land-use studies in the region, with inconsistent results across publications. Additionally, their responses to forest degradation are still unknown. Our goal is to address these gaps by evaluating total and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities in soils from the Eastern Brazilian Amazon. Samplings will be conducted in a natural forest and forests undergoing various degradation processes, as well as in a pasture and a soybean field. Our project will help elucidate the intricate connections among forest degradation, soil microbiome, and soil health, contributing to the conservation and sustainable management of the Amazon biome.