Discussing the question:
"Do Species Matter in Microbial Communities?"

Presented by one of the NSF Frontiers in Integrative Biology Research Project Teams
Coordinated through Montana State University

August 3-5, 2009
Montana State University - Bozeman

• Registration and Logistics information
• 2009 Schedule of events
  
• Area Maps (5 page pdf file)
• Poster Abstracts
• Participants
• Arrival/Departures

FIBR Investigators:

Dave Ward: microbial ecology, Montana State University
Fred Cohan: evolutionary biology, Wesleyan University
John Heidelberg: environmental genomics, The Institute for Genomic Research
Devaki Bhaya: cyanobacterial molecular genetics, Carnegie Institution, Stanford
Arthur Grossman: cyanobacterial physiology, Carnegie Institution, Stanford
Michael Kühl: microsensor analyses, University of Copenhagen, DK
Doug Rusch: Bioinformatics, J. Craig Venter Institute

We are sponsoring this workshop to introduce those interested in the debate about prokaryotic species to the approaches we are taking to address the question "Do species matter in microbial communities?" This is a controversial topic in microbiology, especially given the possibility that horizontal gene flow may make microbial species (if they even exist) quite unlike plant and animal species. Our interdisciplinary team is conducting an in-depth investigation of a well-studied hot spring cyanobacterial mat community and its predominant mat-building cyanobacteria. One approach involves high-resolution population genetics study (single and multi-locus sequence typing) and evolutionary simulation to evaluate whether the diversity of cyanobacteria inhabiting the community is organized into species-like ecotype populations, as predicted by evolutionary ecology theory. Another approach involves genomic analysis of relevant cyanobacterial isolates and the mats they inhabit to directly observe whether, and if so, how genomic variation in native cyanobacterial populations is organized.  The genomics approach enables analysis of in situ gene expression that allows us to study in situ physiological activities throughout the dynamic diel cycle. These and other methods will also help us determine whether cyanobacterial ecotypes predicted by theoretical approaches truly have species-like properties.  The workshop will include a field trip to Yellowstone National Park and two days of scientific sessions that will include talks, open discussions and poster sessions.

Participants:

The four previous workshops were attended by over 100 participants with a wide range of backgrounds and interests, and from a variety of research institutions. Participants included students, postdocs and research associates of the FIBR investigator team.

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