Serpentinomics-an emerging new field of study
Authors: | Jessica Wright, Eric von Wettberg |
Year: | 2009 |
Type: | Scientific Journal |
Station: | Pacific Southwest Research Station |
DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1656/045.016.0521 |
Source: | Northeastern Naturalist. 16(Special Issue 5): 285-296 |
Abstract
"Serpentinomics" is an emerging field of study which has the potential to greatly advance our understanding of serpentine ecology. Several newly developing –omic fields, often using high-throughput tools developed for molecular biology, will advance the field of serpentine ecology, or, "serpentinomics." Using tools from the fields of ionomics, metabolomics, proteomics, transcriptomics and genomics, researchers will be able to address new (and old) ecological questions in powerful and creative ways. In particular, "serpentinomics" has the potential to uncover the mechanistic and genetic basis of the complexities of tolerance of and adaptation to serpentine soils, including the biochemistry of hyperaccumulation. Here we outline each of these –omic fields and describe possible applications to the field of serpentine ecology.