Social Networking in a Changing Ocean: Microbial-Scale Ecological Interactions Control Ocean-Scale Chemistry

Funding: 2014: $230,000
2015: $174,000
2016: $184,000

Project Member(s): Seymour, J.

Funding or Partner Organisation: Australian Research Council (ARC Discovery Projects)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
Mediterranean Marine and Environmental Centre, Barcelona

Start year: 2014

Summary: The function of the ocean is governed by microscopic organisms, including bacteria and phytoplankton. Oceanographers typically consider the ecology of these microbes across large ocean-scales, but their activities and interactions are defined at the scale of individual cells. This research will redefine our knowledge of important marine microbial processes by coupling novel physiological and molecular tools to resolve the microscale ecological links between bacteria and phytoplankton, and will identify how the chemical interactions between these groups change under shifting environmental conditions. This has significance for transforming our understanding of the factors that control the health and function of our important ocean ecosystems.

Publications:

McInnes, AS, Laczka, OF, Baker, KG, Larsson, ME, Robinson, CM, Clark, JS, Laiolo, L, Alvarez, M, Laverock, B, Kremer, CT, van Sebille, E & Doblin, MA 2019, 'Live cell analysis at sea reveals divergent thermal performance between photosynthetic ocean microbial eukaryote populations', The ISME Journal, vol. 13, no. 5, pp. 1374-1378.
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Haydon, TD, Seymour, JR & Suggett, DJ 2018, 'Soft corals are significant DMSP producers in tropical and temperate reefs', Marine Biology, vol. 165, no. 7.
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Lawson, CA, Raina, J, Kahlke, T, Seymour, JR & Suggett, DJ 2018, 'Defining the core microbiome of the symbiotic dinoflagellate, Symbiodinium', Environmental Microbiology Reports, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 7-11.
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Gardner, SG, Raina, J-B, Ralph, PJ & Petrou, K 2017, 'Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and dimethylated sulphur compounds in coral explants under acute thermal stress', Journal of Experimental Biology, vol. 220, no. 10, pp. 1787-1791.
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Keywords: Marine Microbial Ecology,Phytoplankton Physiology,Bacterial Behaviour

FOR Codes: Environment, Microbial Ecology, Biological Oceanography, Chemical Oceanography, ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY, CLIMATE CHANGE AND NATURAL HAZARDS

Acknowledgement of Country

UTS acknowledges the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the Boorooberongal people of the Dharug Nation, the Bidiagal people and the Gamaygal people, upon whose ancestral lands our university stands. We would also like to pay respect to the Elders both past and present, acknowledging them as the traditional custodians of knowledge for these lands.