Introduction: Until a few years ago, soil ecosystem was considered a black box and very little was known about the soil processes and microbial dynamics. We could study only a handful of microorganisms that could be cultured in the laboratory. Ecosystem sustainability is intricate to soil processes, catalyzed by the soil microscopic flora and fauna. Therefore it is imperative that soil functions and processes be investigated from a biological perspective rather than the usual physical and chemical parameters. With the advent of modern molecular tools in the last couple of decades, we can quantitatively characterize how soil microbial populations respond to change and how they affect different soil processes and in a broader aspect how they impact ecosystem sustainability.

I am also investigating the sustainability of biofuel production systems in the mid-western United States and suitability of such systems against environmental impediments and catastrophes. One important aspect of ecosystem and cropping system sustainability is nitrogen use efficiency. I am part of a research group that is evaluating the biological nitrification inhibition (BNI) expressed by high yielding biomass species such as sorghum.

In general,my focus would be to investigate natural and managed ecosystems and their sustainability in the wake of global warming, extreme weather events, and socio-economic practices. I want to find relationships between ecosystem functioning, microbial ecology, and environmental sustainability.

Sougata Bardhan and Shibu Jose. 2012. Potential for floodplains to sustain a second generation biofuel feedstock production ecosystem. Biofuels (in press)

Sougata Bardhan, Shibu Jose,Michael Jenkins, Christopher Webster, and Sarah Stehn. 2012. Microbial Community Structure in SoilsReceiving Different Rates of Acid Deposition in Spruce-Fir Forests in the SmokyMountains. Applied Soil Ecology 61:60– 68.

Sougata Bardhan, Shibu Jose, Sampa Biswas, Kazi Kabir, Wendy Rogers. 2011.Biodiversity in home gardens in Bangladesh – a comparison. Agroforestry Systems.85:29-34.

Serdar Bilen, Murat Bilen, and Sougata Bardhan. 2011.Effect of Boron Management on Soil Microbial Properties and Enzyme Activities in Turkish Soils. African Journal of Biotechnology. 10(27): 5311-5319.

Sougata Bardhan, Yona Chen, and Warren A Dick. Recycling for Sustainability:Plant Growth media from Coal Combustion Products, Biosolids and Composts. 2009.International Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering. 1(4): 177-183

Sougata  Bardhan,  Maurice  Watson  and Warren  A. Dick.  Plant  Growth Response  in Experimental Soilless Mixes Prepared from Coal Combustion Products and Organic Waste Materials. Soil Sci.2008. 173: 491 –500.

Bruce A.Roberts, Felix B. Fritschi, William R. Horwath, Sougata Bardhan. 2012. Nitrogen Mineralization potential as influenced by microbial biomass, cotton residues and temperature. Journal of Plant Nutrition. (Submitted).