Oceanographic cruise in the Pacific
This month, Dr. Emilio Garcia participated in an oceanographic cruise in the East Tropical North Pacific Oxygen Minimum Zone on board of the research vessel Oceanus. During 3 weeks, 13 researchers from different countries (USA, Denmark, Island, Austria, Mexico and Spain) and institutions worked together to investigate the microbial community and the biogeochemical processes of the vast anoxic waters of the north Pacific. Different aspects of microbial ecology and biogeochemistry were studied, going from aerobic respiration at the oxygenated photic layer to the different processes involved in the complex nitrogen cycling (denitrification, anammox, nitrification, anaerobic methane oxidation…) going on inside the so called “dead zones”.
Emilio (fourth from the left) with members from the cruise
Annual sampling is completed
In May, our research group finished a quarterly sampling in two transects conducted over one year. Aim of the study is to estimate the contribution of microphytobenthic production to the total primary production in the inner Cadiz Bay. Each transect has five sampling points, distributed along the intertidal zone. Sediment cores were collected by sediment sampler and were maintained in aquaria with sea water under constant irradiance. Microphytobenthic primary production was measured using oxygen microsensor. In addition, numerous samples (chlorophyll, molecular biology, bacterial abundance, extracellular polymeric substances,microbial community composition etc) were preserved for future analysis.
Sediment core with seagrass
At the V International Symposium of Marine Sciences
From 20th to 22th last July, our PhD student Sara Soria attended the V International Symposium of Marine Sciences at University of Alicante (Spain). She presented a poster titled “Microbial communities are coupled only in the dry season in a tropical estuary, Costa Rica“. The study focused on the distribution and abundance of phytoplankton and bacteria along the tropical estuary of the Gulf of Nicoya, Costa Rica, one of the most productive estuaries of the world and an important fisheries area for Costa Rica.
Strong gradients of salinity and nutrients exist along the estuary whose intensity depends on season (rainy/dry). These interactions determine the fate of microbially transformed organic carbon and thus affect the productivity of the system. Furthermore, these complex interactions vary depending on biological and environmental factors. This information is crucial to manage effectively tropical estuaries, some of the most productive systems worldwide, which are under increased human pressure.
