Mussie Y. Habteselassie Crop and Soil Sciences

UGA Griffin Campus

P & T Presentation2013 SPRING FACULTY MEETING, MACON, GA

THE SOIL MICROBIOLOGY PROGRAM

70% research & 30% teaching appointment

Outline:

Research Program (sample projects)

Teaching Responsibilities

INTRODUCTION

RESEARCH PROGRAM

Environmental Soil Microbiology Program (ESM)

I. The Ecology Of Human And Animal Pathogens In Soils

II. Environmental Services Of Soil Microbial Community

III. Microbial Water Quality

http://www.soilmicrobiology.griffin.uga.edu/index.html

I. Ecology Of Human And Animal Pathogens In Soils

Use of model microorganisms Lux/GFP marked E. coli

O157:H7/Salmonella spp Antibiotic resistant E. coli/Salmonella

spp

Ecology of pathogens in soils

Transmission to produce

Survival

Current Projects

1. Salmonella And Norovirus Survival In Organic and Conventional Soils

2. The Role Of Microbial Diversity And Activity In The Suppression Of Salmonella Persistence In Soils

3. Soil Organic Matter Accumulation On Gloves During Lettuce Harvest and Its Effect On Pathogen Persistence: Co-PI On $338,414 Grant From UC Davis.

Results so far….

II. Environmental Services of Soil Microorganisms

Soil microbes & their environmental

services Pollutant remediation

N & C cycling

Approach

Molecular microbiology – targeting functional genes

Stable isotope techniques – process characterization

Current Projects

4. N Cycling Under Contrasting Agricultural Management Systems

Organic vs conventional farming systems

USDA-AFRI Microbial Communities Program. Habteselassie, M.Y. (Co-PI):$499,894

Closely collaborates with Miguel

Fig. Simplified Internal Soil N

Cycle

Results so far….

5. The Dynamics of Ammonia Oxidizers In Pasture Lands Under Long-term Poultry Litter Application

Eatonton and Watkinsville long term field plots

In collaboration with Miguel Cabrera

Current Projects…

Changes in soil N cycling organisms following repeated poultry litter application

Ammonia Oxidizing Bacteria

Ammonia Oxidizing Archaea

Treatment Plots – Litter @ different rates

Control Plots

Control Plots

Treatment Plots – Litter @ different rates

Results so far….

6. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) Metabolizing Bacteria In Indoor Plants

In collaboration with S. Pennisi and S. Kays - Horticulture

Current Projects…

South Korea: huge interest in phytoremediation

Results so far….

III. Microbial Water Quality

EmphasisSurvival in

contaminated water

Sources

Food safety link – use of contaminated water for

irrigation

7. Impacts of On-site Wastewater Treatment Systems (OWTS) On Water Quality and Quantity In Streams Of Urbanizing Watersheds of Metro-Atlanta Area

Current Project

Supported by $567,000 NIFA Grant: M. Habteselassie, J. Clarke, D. Radcliffe, Q. Huang, M. Risse, E. Bauske, J. Mullen

Study Site

Watershed Characteristics

OWTS Density Low High

Drainage area (mi2)

0.78 1.15

#OWTS/mi2

57 559

River Basins

Oconee and Ocmulgee

County Gwinnett

Results so far…

2012:  Habteselassie, M.Y. Radcliffe, D., Clarke, J.,… Evaluation of the impact of on-site wastewater treatment systems on water quality in urbanizing watersheds. In Annual Meetings Abstracts. ASA, CSSA, and SSSA, Madison, WI.

2012:  Habteselassie, M.Y. Radcliffe, D., Clarke, J.,… Watershed-scale impacts of on-site wastewater treatment systems on water quality and quantity: Results for Water Quality Indicators. In Land Grant/See Grant National Water Conference, Portland, OR.

2012:  Radcliffe, D., Clarke, J., Habteselassie, M.Y.,… Watershed-scale impacts of on-site wastewater treatment systems on water quality and quantity: Results for nitrogen and base-flow yield. In Land Grant/See Grant National Water Conference, Portland, OR. 

Results so far…

TEACHING

# Courses Yr Taught Student #

1 *CRSS 4610/6610: Soil Microbiology

Every Fall 69

2 CRSS 3060: Soils and Hydrology Every Fall 23

3 CRSS 4580/6580: Soil Erosion and Conservation

2010 4

4 AESC 3920: Ag. and Environmental Sc. Internship

2010,

2011

2

5 AESC 4960: Undergraduate Research

2009 - 2012 3

Required Courses

Course Name

CRSS 4610/6610 Soil Microbiology

CRSS 3060 Soils and Hydrology

AESC 4960 Undergraduate Research

AESC 3510

AESC 4190/6190

CRSS 4440/6440

CRSS 3050

…TEACHING

Environmental Resources Science Major @ the Griffin Campus

43%