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First and foremost, I would like to thank my advisor Dr. Gary King for his guidance, flexibility, and emotional and financial support over the past 5 years. I am fortunate that I was able to accompany Dr. King on two field excursions to Hawaii. Dr. King also went on additional field trips on behalf of my project and initiated our metagenomic work. Dr. King made this project possible and taught me the important skills of troubleshooting and writing critically, which have prepared me for success in both my professional and personal life. His enthusiasm for microbial ecology and spirit of scientific exploration are infectious and inspiring. I appreciate the members of my advisory committee, Dr. Brent Christner, Dr. Gregg Pettis, and Dr. Crystal Johnson for their valuable time, support, and encouragement. I am indebted to Craig Judd for his technical assistance. Craig is a dear friend in addition to a valued colleague. Additional thanks are expressed to Dr. Conor Smith for sharing his expertise in mothur and to Kelley Gwin for her computational support. I want to thank my parents, who were both graduate students at Louisiana State University when I was born, for stressing the importance of education, family, and balance in life