Date of Award
1-2026
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
College/School
College of Science and Mathematics
Department/Program
Chemistry and Biochemistry
Thesis Sponsor/Dissertation Chair/Project Chair
Nina Goodey
Committee Member
Greg Pope
Committee Member
Eli Lee
Abstract
A diverse, active soil microbiome is essential for soil health and quality. Soil microorganisms play a key role in nutrient cycling, which supports plant health and productivity. They also respond quickly to environmental changes, making them good indicators of the soil condition. Various soil stressors, such as metal contamination, salt intrusion, or wildfire disturbance, can alter soil structure and disrupt the functioning of the impacted system. To combat the effects of some stressors, simulated root exudate additions are utilized as potential amendments. Because each stressor or amendment can alter microbial composition and diversity in different ways, profiling the microbial community is crucial for understanding how soils respond to disturbances and interventions. The DNA of the bacterial and fungal communities were extracted directly from soil samples and sequenced using targeted Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) methods (16S and ITS). The resulting amplicon reads were processed and evaluated using diversity and composition metrics; Shannon diversity, beta diversity, and relative abundance. These data allowed us to better understand how stressors and amendments affect soil microbial composition and functioning. This understanding is crucial for soil management, particularly for efforts to revitalize poorly functioning soils through practical, effective approaches.
File Format
Recommended Citation
Krisak, Sarah E., "Using Next Generation Sequencing to Examine Soil Microbial Communities Under Various Stressors and Amendments" (2026). Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects. 1624.
https://digitalcommons.montclair.edu/etd/1624