Projects:

· Factors Controlling Microbial Transformation of Herbicides, N Fertilizers, and Weed Seeds As Related to Biologically Based Weed Management

· Biologically and Ecologically Based Knowledge for Integrated Weed Management Systems

 

USDA / Agricultural Research Service

Invasive Weed Management Unit

Research has emphasized environmental fate of xenobiotic compounds, elucidating biochemical pathways for xenobiotic metabolism, and factors affecting degradation in terrestrial and subsurface environments. The significance of the research is to gain knowledge leading to the development of biologically mediated preventative and remedial measures for control of surface and subsurface contamination. Present research focuses on factors controlling the fate of pesticides and nutrients in the environment, phytoremediation of organic contaminants, and measures for regulating the availability of pesticides for transport.

Publications

Sims, G.K. and S. Taylor-Lovell.  2008.  Role of Sorption and Degradation in the Herbicidal Function of Isoxaflutole.  Pest Management Science (in press).

Sims, G.K. 2008. Stable Isotope Probing to Investigate Microbial Function in Soil. In: Recent Research Developments in Soil Science. 2(2007): 64-85.

Cupples, A.M., E.A. Shaffer, J.C. Chee-Sanford, and G.K. Sims. 2007. DNA buoyant density shifts during ¹⁵N DNA stable isotope probing. Microbiological Res. 162:328-334.

Cupples, A.M. and G.K. Sims. 2006. Identification of In Situ 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid-Degrading Soil Microorganisms using DNA-Stable Isotope Probing. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 39: 232-238.

Sims, G.K. 2006. Using the Berthelot Method for Nitrite and Nitrate Analysis. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 70 (3): 1038-1038.

Sims, G.K. 2006. Nitrogen Starvation Promotes Biodegradation of N-Heterocyclic Compounds in Soil. Soil Biology & Biochemistry 38:2478-2480.

Chee-Sanford, J.C., Williams, M.M. II, Davis, A., Sims, G. 2006. Do microbes influence seed bank dynamics? Weed Science 54:575–587.

Sims, G.K.  2006. "Soil degradation", in AccessScience@McGraw-Hill, http://www.accessscience.com, DOI 10.1036/1097-8542.757375.

Sims, G. K. 2005.  Soil degradation.  McGraw Hill Encyclopedia of Science & Technology,10th ed. McGraw Hill, New York. Vol. 16:671-675.

Marsh, K. L., G. K. Sims, and R. L. Mulvaney. 2005. Availability of urea to autotrophic ammonia-oxidizing bacteria as related to the fate of ¹⁴C- and ¹⁵N-labeled urea added to soil. Biol. Fert. Soil. 42:137-145.

Cupples, A. M., R. A. Sanford, and G. K. Sims. 2005. Dehalogenation of Bromoxynil (3,5-Dibromo-4-Hydroxybenzonitrile) and Ioxynil (3,5-Diiodino-4-Hydroxybenzonitrile) by Desulfitobacterium chlororespirans. Appl. Env. Micro. 71(7):3741-3746.

J.C. Chee-Sanford , L.M. Connor, T.J. Holman, M.M. Williams II, G.K. Sims. Interactions between microorganisms and weed seeds: implications for the microbial ecology of seed banks. 2004. Int. Symp. Microb. Ecol. 10. p 1025.

Marsh, K. L., R. L. Mulvaney, & G. K. Sims. 2003. A technique to recover tracer as carboxyl-carbon and α-nitrogen from amino acids in soil hydrolysates. J. AOAC. 86:1106-1111.

Johnson, T. A., and G. K. Sims. 2003. Effects of carrier solvents on biodegradation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid in soil. Lett. Applied Microbiol. (in press).

Marsh, K. L., R. L. Mulvaney, and G. K. Sims. 2003. A technique to recover tracer as carboxyl-carbon and alpha-nitrogen from amino acids in soil hydrolysates. J. AOAC. 86(6):1106-11.

Crawford, J. J., G. K. Sims, F. W. Simmons, L. M. Wax, and D. L. Freedman. 2002. Dissipation of the herbicide (14C) Dimethenamid under anaerobic aquatic conditions in flooded soil microcosms. J. Agric. Food. Chem. 50(6): 1483-1491.

Hultgren, R. P.; Hudson, R. J. M.; Sims, G. K. 2002. Effects of Soil pH and Soil Water Content on Prosulfuron Dissipation . J. Agric. Food Chem. 50 (11): 3236-3243.

Rupassara, S. I., Larson, R. A., Sims, G. K., and Marley, K. A. (2002). Degradation of atrazine by hornwort in aquatic systems. Bioremediation Journal 6(3): 217-224.

Sims, G. K., and M. M. Wander. 2002. Proteolytic activity under nitrogen or sulfur limitation. Applied Soil Ecol. 568:1-5.

Taylor-Lovell, S., G. K. Sims, and L. M. Wax. 2002. Effects of moisture, temperature, and biological activity on the degradation of isoxaflutole in soil. J. Agric. Food Chem. 50(20): 5626-5633.

Rupassara, S. I., R. A. Larson, & G. K. Sims. 2001. Biodegradation of atrazine in aquatic ecosystems. pp. 181-188, In Leeson, A., E. A. Foote, M. K. Banks, and V. S. Magar, eds. Phytoremediation, wetlands, and sediments, Proc. Sixth International In-Situ and On-Site Bioremediation Symp. San Diego, CA. Batelle Press, Columbus, OH.

Sims, G. K., R. P. Hultgren, A, M. Cupples, & R. J. Hudson. 2001. Role of ionization in bacterial uptake and soil sorption of agrochemicals. pp. 268-270 In Proc. 3rd Internat. Conf. on Groundwater Quality, Univ. of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.

Xu, J. C., J. W. Stucki, J. Wu, J. E. Kostka, and G. K. Sims. 2001. Fate of atrazine and alachlor in redox-treated ferruginous smectite. Journal of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. 20:2717-2724.

O'Loughlin, E. J, S. J. Traina, and G. K. Sims. 2000. Effects of sorption on the biodegradation of 2-methylpyridine in aqueous suspensions of reference clay minerals. Environ. Toxicol. and Chem. 19:2168-2174.

Tor, J. M., C. Xu, J. M. Stucki, M. M. Wander, and G. K. Sims. 2000. Trifluralin degradation under microbiologically induced nitrate and Fe(III) reducing conditions. Environ. Sci. Technol. 34:3148-3152.

Taylor-Lovell, S., G. K. Sims, and L. M. Wax. 2000. Effect of chemical instability of the herbicide isoxaflutole on soil adsorption. Environ. Sci. Technol. 34:3186-3190.

Hultgren, R. P. Elverson, E., Cupples, A. M., Hudson, R. J. and Sims, G. K. 2000. Bacterial uptake and soil sorption of ionizable agrochemicals. In Specialty Chemicals. Symp. Proc. Am. Chem. Soc. 40(1):192-194.

Marley, K. A., Curtis, A., Larson, R. A., Mitchell, R. F. and Sims, G. K. 2000. Abiotic and biotic pathways of atrazine loss in aquatic plant-containing microcosms. In Specialty Chemicals. Symp. Proc. Am. Chem. Soc. 40(1):161-163..

Cupples, A. M., G. K. Sims, R. P. Hultgren, and S. E. Hart. 2000. Effect of soil conditions on the degradation of chloransulam-methyl. J. Environ. Qual. 29:786-794.

Bichat, F., G. K. Sims, and R. L. Mulvaney. 1999. Microbial utilization of heterocyclic nitrogen from atrazine. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 63:100-110.

O'Loughlin, E. J., G. K. Sims, and S. J. Traina. 1999. Biodegradation of 2-methyl, 2-ethyl, and 2-hydroxypyridine by an arthrobacter sp. isolated from subsurface sediment. Biodegradation 10:93-104.

Sims, G. K., and A. M. Cupples. 1999. Factors controlling degradation of pesticides in soil. Pesticide Science 55:598-601.

Needelman, B. A., M. M. Wander, G. A. Bollero, C. W. Boast, G. K. Sims, and D. G. Bullock. 1999. Interaction of tillage and soil texture: biologically active soil organic matter in Illinois. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 63:1326-1334.

Rhine, E. D., G. K. Sims, R. L. Mulvaney, and E. J. Pratt. 1998. Improving the Berthelot reaction for determining ammonium in soil extracts and water. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 62:473-480.

Crawford, J. J., G. K. Sims, R. L. Mulvaney, and M. Radosevich. 1998. Biodegradation of atrazine under denitrifying conditions. Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 49:618-623.

Johnson, T. A., G. K. Sims, T. R. Ellsworth, and A. R. Ballance. 1998. Effects of moisture and sorption on bioavailability of p-hydroxybenzoic acid to Arthrobacter sp. in soil. Microbiological Research 153:349-353.

Sims, G. K. 1997. Soil degradation. McGraw Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology. McGraw Hill, New York, p. 628-629.

Mulvaney, R. L., S. A. Khan, G. K. Sims, and W. B. Stevens. 1997. Use of nitrous oxide as a purge gas for automated nitrogen isotope analysis by the Rittenberg technique. J. Auto. Chem. 19:165-168.

Wolt, J. D., J. K. Smith, G. K. Sims, and D. O. Duebelbeis. 1996. Products and kinetics of cloramsulam-methyl aerobic soil metabolism. J. Agric. Food Chem. 44:324-332.

Wander, M. M., R. B. Dudley, S. J. Traina, D. D. Kaufman, B. R. Stinner, and G. K. Sims. 1996. A CP-MAS 13C NMR investigation of acetate fate in organic and conventionally managed soils. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 60:1110-1116.

O'Loughlin, E. J., S. R. Kehrmeyer, and G. K. Sims. 1996. Isolation, characterization, and substrate utilization of a quinoline-degrading bacterium. Int. Biodeterioration and Biodegradation. 1996:107-118.

Mann, D. K., T. M. Hurt, E. Malkos, J. Sims, S. Twait, and G. Wachter. 1996. Onsite treatment of petroleum, oil, and lubricant (POL)-contaminated soils at Illinois Corps of Engineers lake sites. US Army Corps of Engineers Technical Report 96/47.

Mervosh, T. L., G. K. Sims, and E. W. Stoller. 1995. Clomazone fate in soil as affected by microbial activity, temperature, and soil moisture. J. Agric. Food Chem. 43:537-543.

Mervosh, T. L., G. K. Sims, E. W. Stoller, and T. R. Ellsworth. 1995. Clomazone sorption in soil: Incubation time, temperature, and soil moisture effects. J. Agric. Food Chem. 43:2295-2300.

Mervosh, T. L., E. W. Stoller, F. W. Simmons, T. R. Ellsworth, and G. K. Sims. 1995. Effects of starch encapsulation on clomazone and atrazine movement in soil and clomazone volatilization. Weed Science. 43:445-453.

Sims, G. K., T. R. Ellsworth, and R. L. Mulvaney. 1995. Microscale determination of inorganic nitrogen in water and soil extracts. Commun. Soil Sci. Plant Anal. 26:303-316.

Greenan, N. S., R. L. Mulvaney, and G. K. Sims. 1995. A microscale method for colorimetric determination of urea in soil extracts. Commun. Soil Sci. Plant Anal. 26:2519-2529.

Havens, P. L., G. K. Sims, and S. E. Zabik. 1995. Fate of herbicides in the environment. pp. 245-278 In Handbook of Weed Management Systems. Marcel Dekker, Inc.

Microbiologist, USDA-ARS, Research Leader

E-mail: Gerald.Sims@ars.usda.gov

Gerald K. Sims

Phone: (217) 333-6099

Microbiologist Jerry Sims holds a culture of giant ragweed (Ambrosia trifida) seeds embedded in agar, some overgrown with soil microorganisms. Sims is investigating how and why some weed seeds escape decay by these organisms.

Stable isotope probing is a method to identify organisms involved in degrading chemicals.  When an isotope-labelled chemical, such as a herbicide, is introduced into a soil, the organisms responsible for degrading the chemical at that site will use the labelled chemical to grow, resulting in the organisms's DNA becoming labelled and thus heavier.  Shown here is an apparatus for collecting isotope-labelled DNA from soil.  After DNA is separated by spinning in an utra-centrifuge for two days at 184,000 times the force of gravity, water is introduced with a syringe to displace the various bands of DNA in small increments.  Heavy DNA is associated with organisms that consumed the chemical and can be sequenced to identify the organism.