Updates & News

We recently developed a R packge iDOM for DOM statistical analyses, which is now published on line by mLife. The study introduces iDOM, a new R package designed to analyze and visualize dissolved organic matter (DOM) data from FT-ICR MS. It supports various DOM data types, integrates environmental and microbial data, and includes tools for both [...] Read more

We recently studied the microbial strategies of environmental adaptation, which is now published in Ecology. We sampled the microbes in saline and freshwater lakes in Tanzania during 2020, and examined the microbes with metagenomics. We are also delighted to see this paper was featured as Cover Image of the journal. Here is a summary of this study: [...] Read more

In January 2025, PhD student Hellen conducted a field expedition in Leguruki, Arusha, Tanzania, to sample natural saline ponds in the region. These ponds are integral to local livelihoods, supporting small-scale fishing and irrigation, and play a vital role in ensuring food security for surrounding communities. The primary objective of the field [...] Read more

We just got a paper on meta analyses of dissovled organic matter (DOM) accepted by Journal of Earth Science. The paper is now published on line by CNKI, and will be available at Journal of Eatch Science in 2025. Dissolved organic matter (DOM), the largest reactive carbon pool on Earth, is crucial for biogeochemical processes but remains poorly [...] Read more

Molecular-level impacts of global change on natural organic matter Global warming is closely linked to natural organic matter on the Earth via its decomposition to greenhouse gas. Natural organic matter represents one of the largest and most active carbon reservoirs in aquatic ecosystems and fuels biogeochemical cycles. However, the diversity of [...] Read more

In July 2023, PhD student Beryl conducted a field trip to sample streams located in Kisumu, Kenya. These streams are belong to the tributaries of Lake Victoria, the largest lake in Africa and the main reservoir of the Nile, and located among Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. The purpose of the trip was to collect water and sediment samples for [...] Read more

Global change is altering Earth’s biogeochemical cycles by rewiring the links between microbes and organic matter. However, < 1% of bacterial species have been cultured, and fewer than half of the identifiable major bacterial lineages or phyla include cultivated representatives. Similarly, a large proportion of natural organic matter remains [...] Read more

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is a complex and diverse mixture of labile and recalcitrant molecules that actively shape the biogeochemical cycles of all ecosystems on Earth. Compared to bulk carbon pools traditionally considered, the partitioning of organic matter into various fractions, such as particulate and mineral-associated pools or labile [...] Read more