Researchers from the Laboratory of Soil Carbon and Microbial Ecology participated in the 5th International Conference on the Conservation and Enhancement of Microbial Genetic Resources (BRC MICRO), held in St. Petersburg, Russia. The conference brought together leading experts in microbiology, genetics, molecular biology, biotechnology, and biological resource collections to discuss the latest advances in both fundamental and applied research on microorganisms.
The scientific program focused on four major themes: microbial diversity in natural ecosystems, microorganisms of agricultural and industrial importance, pathogenic microorganisms, and the collection, preservation, characterization, and management of microbial genetic resources and associated data.
During the plenary session, dedicated to the 135th anniversary of agricultural microbiology in Russia, Academician Alexander L. Ivanov, Scientific Director of the Dokuchaev Soil Science Institute, delivered a keynote lecture entitled "The Soil Microbiome: Diversity of Soil Ecological Functions and Future Perspectives." His presentation summarized the Institute's achievements in soil microbiology over the past 15 years and outlined promising directions for future research.
Among the contributions from the Laboratory of Soil Carbon and Microbial Ecology, Dr. Elena A. Ivanova presented the talk "Effects of Land Use and Fertilization on the Prokaryotic Community of Earthworm Coprolites in a Sod-Podzolic Soil". Dr. Mikhail V. Semenov , Head of the Laboratory of Soil Carbon and Microbial Ecology, delivered a presentation entitled "Integrating Genetic and Functional Approaches for Soil Microbiome Analysis".
Participation in BRC MICRO provided an excellent opportunity to discuss current challenges and emerging trends in soil microbiology, exchange scientific expertise with colleagues from across Russia, and strengthen research collaborations in the study and conservation of microbial diversity.
