Speaker
Description
Bacteria are the most diverse and widespread organisms on Earth, playing essential roles in the ecosystems they inhabit. Despite advances in sequencing technologies, most bacterial diversity studies have focused on the Northern Hemisphere, leaving significant data gaps in the Global South, particularly in regions that face high risks of biodiversity loss due to human activity. The sIBTEDs project aims to address these gaps by promoting equitable data reuse through Datathons and training events across the Global South. Microbiome data collected through this initiative was combined with existing datasets to create the most comprehensive microbiome record of Latin America to date. Leveraging this dataset, we pursued two main goals. First, we assessed how data blindspots affect biodiversity estimates, comparing patterns of microbial diversity between the Global South and North using balanced sampling. Second, we analyzed how human pressures impact microbial diversity and community homogenization, comparing soil and aquatic microbiomes. This work bridges existing gaps in microbial data while providing valuable insights into the patterns and processes that govern microbial diversity, enriching our understanding of ecosystems at a global scale, contributing to global biodiversity research.
| Status Group | Postdoctoral Researcher |
|---|---|
| Poster Presentation Option | No, I prefer to present only as a talk. |
