Scales of variability of primary productivity
Long term environmental monitoring of both pelagic and benthic systems
has been a long term activity off the south-west coast of the UK,
driven by Plymouth Marine Laboratory. Research collaborations
currently focus on how regular shifts in water column structure on the
continental shelf break drive variability in oceanic primary
producitity and microbial community structure and therefore marine
carbon fluxes.
Impact of ocean acidification upon calcification in Emiliania
huxleyi
Genetic clones of the globally important coccolithophorid E. huxleyi
are currently being examined for common genetic expression in response
to projected decreases in ocean pH. State of the art molecular
techniques will yield entire transcriptome arrays that will be
compared against the already sequenced genome of this organism.
Naphthenic acid degradation
Naphthenic acids (NAs) are a complex mixture of predominantly
cycloaliphatic and alkyl substituted acyclic carboxylic acids found
principally in weathered crude oil. NAs cause severe environmental
problems as they are recalcitrant, corrosive, reduce oil mobility and
are acutely toxic to a wide range of marine organisms. We set out to
characterize aromatic NA-degrading microorganisms in relation to NA
biodegradation rates, metabolite production and NA structure. We have
clearly demonstrated the degradation of aromatic NAs by a marine
consortium. In addition, we have also isolated one of the
microorganisms responsible which is currently being investigated
further.
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