Ecosystem function and recovery

Ecosystem recovery does not necessarily require the return of the original microbial community. Different taxa may reorganize after disturbance while maintaining, losing, or rebuilding the metabolic functions that support biogeochemical processes. My research examines this distinction between taxonomic recovery and functional recovery, and asks when alternative community configurations can sustain similar ecosystem functions.

Mangrove restoration provides a powerful system for testing these ideas. We compare conserved, degraded, and recovering environments across sediment depths and geographic regions to determine how microbial and viral communities, metabolic pathways, and biogeochemical functions change during restoration. Genome-resolved metagenomics allows us to connect functional potential to specific microbial populations and to investigate how mobile genetic elements and viruses may contribute to ecological adaptation and functional change.

The goal is to identify measurable signatures of functional recovery that go beyond taxonomic similarity. By understanding which functions are restored, which organisms carry them, and how robust those functions are across alternative community states, we can develop a more mechanistic framework for evaluating ecosystem restoration and resilience.