Laibin Huang, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Biology
Courses Taught
BIOL 4640 - General Microbiology
Education
Ph.D., University of Florida
Research Interests
I am a microbiologist, and my studies have focused on “Microbial Ecology” using the combination of classical techniques (qPCR, amplicon sequence, isotopes), state-of-the-art omics (metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, and metabolomics) and bioinformatic tools (high-performance computing, python, snakemake, R program).
With the vast functional and metabolic diversity, microorganisms are integral to all the earth’s ecosystems; however, they change constantly throughout the time and space. Meanwhile, the intensive human activities and global climate changes pose great challenges to and complications for the understanding of their dynamics and the quantification of their roles in contributing to ecosystem functions and health. Hence, my research has aimed to explore the roles that microorganisms play in adapting to and mitigation of the global changes.
To be specific, my research is in the interface among Microbial Ecology, Bioinformatics and Environmental/Soil Science in the changing world, and spans two directions including:
(1) community/restoration ecology--assembly of soil microbiome in the diverse ecosystems and their response (resistance and resilience) to the changing environments;
(2) microbial evolution and diversification--evolution and diversification of microbiome related to nitrifiers and denitrifiers, and their controls on global nitrogen cycling and greenhouse gas emissions, as well as the links to soil fertility and health.
Labs and Facilities
Huang lab website ()
Publications and Media Placements
Recent publications (5 years):
or CV for a full publication list:
Huang, L., Soares, R.A., Wright, A., CorrĂŞa, R.S., Silva, L., Rodrigues, J.L.M. (2023). Regeneration
of the soil microbiome is directly associated with carbon accumulation in a biodiversity
hotspot. (Under review)
Huang, L., Levintal Elad, Christian B. Erikson. Coyotl Adolfo, Dahlke Helen E., Horwath William
R, Rodrigues Jorge L. Mazza. 2023. Molecular and dual-isotopic profiling of the microbial
controls on nitrogen leaching in agricultural soils under managed aquifer recharge.
Environmental Science & Technology. 2023, 57, 30, 11084–11095
Zhao J., Huang L., Chakrabarti S., Cooper J., Choi E., Ganan C., Tochinsky B., Triplett E., Daroub
S.H., Martens-Habbena W. 2023. Nutrient acquisition strategies drive coexistence patterns
among globally predominant archaeal lineages in soil. ISME J. 2023, 17, 1839-1850.
Levintal, E., Huang, L., GarcĂa, C. P., Coyotl, A., Fidelibus, M. W., ... Rodrigues, J. L. & Dahlke, H. E.,
2023. Nitrogen Fate During Agricultural Managed Aquifer Recharge: Linking Plant Response,
Hydrologic, and Geochemical Processes. Science of the Total Environment, 864:161206
Huang, L., Bai, J., Wang J., Zhang G., Wang W., Wang X., Zhang L., Wang Y., Liu X., and Cui
B. 2022. Different stochastic processes regulate bacterial and fungal community assembly
in estuarine wetland soils. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 167: 108586.
Zhang, G., Bai, J., Tebbe, C.C., Huang, L., Jia, J., Wang, W., Wang, X., Yu, L. and Zhao, Q., 2022. Plant invasion reconstructs
soil microbial assembly and functionality in coastal salt marshes. Molecular Ecology, 31:4478–4494.
Yu, L., Bai, J., Huang, L., Zhang, G., Wang, W., Wang, X., and Yu, Z. 2022. Carbon-rich substrates altered
microbial communities with indication of carbon metabolism functional shifting in
a degraded salt marsh of the Yellow River Delta, China. Journal of Cleaner Production, 331, 129898.
Zhang, G., Bai, J., Tebbe, C.C., Huang, L., Jia, J., Wang, W., Wang, X., Zhao, Q., Wen, L., Kong, F. and Xi, M., 2022. Habitat-specific
responses of soil organic matter decomposition to Spartina alterniflora invasion along
China's coast. Ecological Applications, e2741.
Huang, L., Chakrabarti, S., Cooper, J., Perez, A., John, S., Daroub, S., and Martens-Habbena,
W. 2021. Ammonia-oxidizing archaea are integral to nitrogen cycling in a highly fertile
agricultural soil. ISME Communications, 1(1), 1-12.
Huang, L., Bea, H., Young, C., Pain, A., Martin, J.B., and Ogram, A. 2021. Campylobacterota
dominate the microbial communities in a tropical karst subterranean estuary, with
implications for cycling and export of nitrogen to coastal waters. Environmental Microbiology, 23(11), 6749–6763.
Huang, L., Zhang G., Bai J., Xia Z., Wang W., Jia J., Wang X., Liu X., and Cui B. 2021. Desalinization
via freshwater restoration highly improved microbial diversity, co-occurrence patterns
and functions in coastal wetland soils. Science of the Total Environment, 765: 142769.
Yu, M., Su, W., Huang, L., Parikh, S.J., Tang, C., Dahlgren, R.A., and Xu, J. 2021. Bacterial community structure
and putative nitrogen-cycling functional traits along a charosphere gradient under
waterlogged conditions. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 162, 108420.
Wang, L., Chen, H., Wu, J., Huang, L., Brookesa, P., Rodriguesc, J., Xu, J., and Liu, X. 2021. Effects of magnetic biochar-microbe
composite on Cd remediation and microbial responses in paddy soil. Journal of hazardous materials, 44: 125494.
Zhang, G.L., Bai, J., Tebbe, C.C., Huang, L., Jia, J., Wang, W., Wang, X., Yu, L., and Zhao, Q. 2020. Spartina alterniflora invasions
reduce soil fungal diversity and simplify co-occurrence networks in a salt marsh ecosystem.
Science of The Total Environment, 143667.
Huang, L., Bai, J., Wen, X., Zhang, G., Zhang, C., Cui, B. and Liu, X. 2020. Microbial resistance
and resilience in response to environmental changes under the higher intensity of
human activities than global average level. Global Change Biology, 26: 2377-2389.
Behnke, G. D., Zabaloy, M. C., Riggins, C. W., RodrĂguez-Zas, S., Huang, L., and Villamil, M. B. 2020. Acidification in corn monocultures favor fungi, ammonia
oxidizing bacteria, and nirK-denitrifier groups. Science of The Total Environment, 720(10):137514.
Huang, L., Riggins C. W., RodrĂguez-Zas S., Zabaloy M. C., and Villamil M. B. 2019. Long-term
N fertilization imbalances potential N acquisition and transformations by soil microbes.
Science of the Total Environment, 691: 562-571.
Pain, A., Martin, J.B., Young, C.R., Huang, L., and Valle-Levison, A. 2019. Organic carbon quantity and quality across salinity
gradients in conduit-versus diffuse flow-dominated subterranean estuaries. Limnology & Oceanography, 64(3): 1368-1402.
Bae, H., Huang, L., White, J., Wang, J., Delaune, R., and Ogram, A. 2018. Response of microbial populations
regulating nutrient biogeochemical cycles to oiling of coastal saltmarshes from the
Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Environmental pollution, 241, 136-147.