AAAR 33rd Annual Conference
October 20 - October 24, 2014
Rosen Shingle Creek
Orlando, Florida, USA
Abstract View
Bacterial and Fungal Ecology in Indoor and Outdoor Air
JOANNE B. EMERSON, Patricia Keady, Anne Perring, Jonathan Awerbuch, Joshua P. Schwarz, David Fahey, Shelly Miller, Noah Fierer, University of Colorado Boulder
Abstract Number: 476 Working Group: Bioaerosols
Abstract We have a limited understanding of the diversity and abundances of bacteria and fungi in indoor and outdoor air and of the biotic and abiotic factors that influence them. Our group uses molecular methods, including targeted gene sequencing, to characterize bacterial and fungal community composition in air samples from a variety of environments. Sampling sites include the near-surface atmosphere, inside and outside family residences (including homes affected by the September 2013 Boulder County flood), and the atmosphere above the surface (accessed via a 300 m tower). We will present the integration of microbial DNA sequencing data and abundance estimates with measurements of environmental parameters to assess ecological influences on bacterial and fungal community composition and seasonal dynamics in indoor and outdoor air. Results indicate seasonal shifts in air microbial community composition inside and outside family residences, significant differences in bacterial and fungal communities between flooded and non-flooded homes, and temporal influences on atmospheric bacterial and fungal community composition in the near-surface atmosphere and aloft.