Marine Microbial Genomics and Biogeochemistry

The Northwest Atlantic (NWA) is a highly productive region of the ocean, supporting important fisheries. The phytoplankton and other microbes at the base of the food chain supply food and energy to higher trophic levels. Global warming is causing rapid changes in the NWA, leading to decreasing oxygen, changing current patterns, increases in sea surface temperature and stratification that are leading to changes in productivity and in nutrient supply. The research investigates the response of these changes on the microbial community, using time-series observations, coupled with experiments and novel omics approaches, focusing on the nitrogen cycle and N2-fixation in particular.