Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41860425›Full record

ReviewFEMS microbiology reviews2026

Synthetic soils for ecological and synthetic biology applications.

Jack Orebaugh, Alyssa A Carrell, Larry M York, Melissa A Cregger, Ilenne Del Valle Kessra

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in FEMS microbiology reviews, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Jack OrebaughBiosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley Rd, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6038, United States.
Alyssa A CarrellBiosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley Rd, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6038, United States.
Larry M YorkBiosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley Rd, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6038, United States.ORCID 0000-0002-1995-9479
Melissa A CreggerBiosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley Rd, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6038, United States.
Ilenne Del Valle KessraBiosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley Rd, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6038, United States.ORCID 0000-0002-0483-2141

Funding

U.S. Department of Energy
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Soils are heterogeneous and dynamic systems characterized by complex physical, chemical, and biological interactions. Understanding these interactions is critical, as they influence plant productivity, global biogeochemical cycles, and ecosystem resilience. While ecologists have long studied soils in field, greenhouse, and laboratory settings, their complexity and heterogeneity make it challenging to pinpoint key properties driving biological processes and derive mechanistic insights. Advancements in synthetic biology, which seeks to engineer and control biological processes in soils, have increased the demand for standardized and controllable experimental platforms. These platforms, referred to here as 'synthetic soils', are systems designed to reproduce selected physicochemical characteristics of natural soils in a simplified and defined format, allowing scientists to systematically change soil physicochemical properties (i.e. texture, mineralogy, pH) to study how biological components (i.e. microbes, plants, soil fauna, etc.) respond to, modify, or interact within these controlled environments. This review explores existing synthetic soils, their advantages, limitations, and applications in ecology and synthetic biology, and discusses potential directions for their future development.

Indexed as

EcologySoilSoil MicrobiologySynthetic BiologyEcosystemSoilartificial soilsecologysoilsstandardized habitatssynthetic biology

Identifiers

PMID41860425
PMCPMC13044576

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.