The group undertakes a range of internationally-recognised research in environmental microbiology. One theme is the integration of geochemical, physiological and molecular biological approaches to assess the rates and pathways of biochemical transformations in the environment. Prof. Nedwell studies nitrogen transformations (nitrification, denitrification, N2O production) in estuaries and coastal sediments, Prof. Underwood assesses the rates and pathways of production and transformation of extracellular carbohydrates in photosynthetic biofilms (intertidal mudflats, tropical biofilms and stromatolites and in polar sea ice), while Prof. Nedwell, Dr. McGenity and Dr. Whitby use molecular biological and microbiological approaches to identify the microbes and pathways involved in organic carbon degradation in soils, aquifers and estuaries.
Another area of expertise is the identification and function of novel microbial groups, particularly extremophiles (archaea) in polar (Prof. Nedwell) and hypersaline (Dr. McGenity) environments.
Microalgal culturing is used extensively to examine how productivity is affected by environmental (climate) change (Prof. Geider, Dr. Suggett),
such as ocean acidification and elevated seawater temperatures.
