RCO1: Rate variation and biological diversity of N2-fixers (Workshop Summer 2022)
Goal: Conduct a systematic review of N2-fixation across aquascapes to synthesize our current understanding, account for methodological biases, and provide a foundation for model parameterization.
Working Group Description: This working group will broadly review and synthesize the substantial research that has been conducted on the biological diversity of N2-fixers to derive a conceptual plan for organizing the research themes and needs of N2-fixer diversity across the aquascape. The review will compile and compare estimates of rates through time and space, consider the reliability of those estimates given the assumptions, methodologies, and sampling approaches, and synthesize the sensitivities of those rates to environmental controls and constraints. These syntheses will integrate existing knowledge of N2-fixation and set the foundation for the conceptual and quantitative modeling activities of RCO 2 and 3 working groups.
RCO2: Stoichiometric drivers and constraints on N2-fixation (Workshop Fall 2023)
Goal: Develop conceptual and quantitative models of the stoichiometric controls on autotrophic and heterotrophic N2-fixers from populations to individual ecosystems.
Working Group Description: This working group will explore the stoichiometric couplings and constraints of N2-fixation across the aquascape. Developing these models will involve synthesizing data on the stoichiometric imbalance of N, P, C and other nutrients that are essential for controlling N2-fixation across the full taxonomic diversity identified through the synthetic research undertaken by WG1. These models must consider the diversity in stoichiometric variability (or lack thereof) within N2-fixers themselves and the various growth strategies of both autotrophic and heterotrophic N2-fixers. The models produced by this group will build an organismal to community-level framework that can then be scaled to incorporate the natural variability in stoichiometric supply by the RCO 3 working group.
RCO3: Scaling N2-fixation from genes to ecosystems (Workshop Fall 2024/Winter 2025)
Goal: Develop large-scale models for scaling N-fixation and its biological and environmental fates across aquascapes.
Working Group Description: This working group will synthesize the findings from WG1 and WG2 into larger models that capture the spatial and temporal variability of environmental conditions and constrain the rates and fate of N2-fixation across the diverse aquascape. Constraining the uncertainty around nutrient supply, cycling rates, and the associated environmental conditions that favor or inhibit N2-fixers using rigorous quantitative techniques will be the central objective of the group. This group will utilize previous scaling work on denitrification and carbon dioxide fluxes to explore a logical framework for scaling N2-fixation across aquascapes and merge it with similar terrestrial and marine syntheses to understand its relative contribution to local, regional, continental, and global N budgets.
Goal: Conduct a systematic review of N2-fixation across aquascapes to synthesize our current understanding, account for methodological biases, and provide a foundation for model parameterization.
Working Group Description: This working group will broadly review and synthesize the substantial research that has been conducted on the biological diversity of N2-fixers to derive a conceptual plan for organizing the research themes and needs of N2-fixer diversity across the aquascape. The review will compile and compare estimates of rates through time and space, consider the reliability of those estimates given the assumptions, methodologies, and sampling approaches, and synthesize the sensitivities of those rates to environmental controls and constraints. These syntheses will integrate existing knowledge of N2-fixation and set the foundation for the conceptual and quantitative modeling activities of RCO 2 and 3 working groups.
RCO2: Stoichiometric drivers and constraints on N2-fixation (Workshop Fall 2023)
Goal: Develop conceptual and quantitative models of the stoichiometric controls on autotrophic and heterotrophic N2-fixers from populations to individual ecosystems.
Working Group Description: This working group will explore the stoichiometric couplings and constraints of N2-fixation across the aquascape. Developing these models will involve synthesizing data on the stoichiometric imbalance of N, P, C and other nutrients that are essential for controlling N2-fixation across the full taxonomic diversity identified through the synthetic research undertaken by WG1. These models must consider the diversity in stoichiometric variability (or lack thereof) within N2-fixers themselves and the various growth strategies of both autotrophic and heterotrophic N2-fixers. The models produced by this group will build an organismal to community-level framework that can then be scaled to incorporate the natural variability in stoichiometric supply by the RCO 3 working group.
RCO3: Scaling N2-fixation from genes to ecosystems (Workshop Fall 2024/Winter 2025)
Goal: Develop large-scale models for scaling N-fixation and its biological and environmental fates across aquascapes.
Working Group Description: This working group will synthesize the findings from WG1 and WG2 into larger models that capture the spatial and temporal variability of environmental conditions and constrain the rates and fate of N2-fixation across the diverse aquascape. Constraining the uncertainty around nutrient supply, cycling rates, and the associated environmental conditions that favor or inhibit N2-fixers using rigorous quantitative techniques will be the central objective of the group. This group will utilize previous scaling work on denitrification and carbon dioxide fluxes to explore a logical framework for scaling N2-fixation across aquascapes and merge it with similar terrestrial and marine syntheses to understand its relative contribution to local, regional, continental, and global N budgets.