The Springer Nature journal Scientific Reports (https://www.nature.com/srep/) is seeking submissions for a special collection on the topic of Microbial Ecology and Phylogeny! The submission deadline is August 28, 2024. Details and submission guidelines are available at: https://www.nature.com/collections/difcjhcjeh Summary: The field of microbial ecology has been revolutionized by metagenomics, the analysis of genomic data obtained from environmental samples. Whole-genome shotgun sequencing can both uncover the genomic diversity of the sampled microbial community and provide insights into possible functional roles of the various organisms present. Metagenomics and other current approaches are enabling the discovery of new taxa and metabolic pathways, elucidating microbial community dynamics, and revealing the evolutionary history of microbial genomes. Challenges include identifying ecologically relevant microbial model organisms and systems to aid in interpreting the newly discovered diversity; improving metagenome assembly methods in complex samples; and integrating metagenomic and other genetic data into biomonitoring approaches and ecosystem modeling. This Collection will highlight original articles on all aspects of microbial ecology and phylogeny, including technological advances, ecological and evolutionary relationships, and practical applications. If you have questions, comments, or want to express your intent to submit, please feel free to contact guest editor Jessica Lee (jessica.a.lee@nasa.gov). Yours, Jessica Audrey Lee Research Scientist, Space Biosciences Research Branch Project Scientist, Lunar Explorer Instrument for space biology Applications (LEIA) Manager, Beyond LEO Instrumentation & Science Series (BLISS) NASA Ames Research Center jessica.a.lee@nasa.gov she/her office: (650) 604-1151 cell: (650) 863-1882 "Lee, Jessica A. (ARC-SCR)" (to subscribe/unsubscribe the EvolDir send mail to golding@mcmaster.ca)