A bioinformatics study investigating the role of soil bacterial and fungal communities in managed forests of the Pacific Northwest using DNA data analysis.
This project investigates the role of soil microbial communities in forest management. Specifically, we analyzed bacterial and fungal DNA data obtained from the Aspen thinning trial in the Pacific Northwest to assess how different forest management practices impact microbial community composition.
Processed bacterial and fungal DNA sequences using bioinformatics tools and pipelines to extract meaningful information about microbial communities
Performed statistical analyses to determine the impact of forest management practices on microbial diversity and community structure
Summarized the results in a comprehensive scientific report, comparing findings to existing literature on microbial community dynamics in managed forests
The project included the following key steps:
Shannon Diversity Index
Species Richness
Community Shifts
The study found that certain forest management practices, such as thinning, had a significant impact on the microbial community structure, with shifts in bacterial and fungal species composition. These findings contribute to the understanding of how forest management affects soil biodiversity and ecosystem functions in the Pacific Northwest.