Joint SOLAS Bergen Mesocosm Experiment
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Warwick
Department Name: Biological Sciences
Abstract
This project will unify a number of individual projects within the current NERC SOLAS directed programme that are investigating the microbial processes controlling the production and consumption of atmospheric trace gases in the sea surface microlayer (SML). This is the interface through which climatically important trace gases such as CH4, N2O, CO, DMS, methyl halides and VICs must pass in order to be released to the atmosphere and/or taken up by the oceans. Microbes that both consume and produce these gases in the SML thus exert major controls on their biogeochemical cycles. The processes which regulate the activities of these microbes are poorly understood but can be directly addressed within UKSOLAS through generating a robust dataset including chemical and biological parameters under carefully defined experimental conditions. Although both SML sampling for biological and chemical components and measurements of SML gas exchange are now routinely possible through the work of the participating research groups, what is now needed is a coherent unifying approach that enhances the scientific deliverables of these ongoing UKSOLAS projects. The Bergen mesocosm facilities afford a unique opportunity for this; they will enable UKSOLAS scientists to generate a robust dataset for experimental analysis and modelling since it will be possible to follow SML microbiology, chemistry and trace gas transfer under carefully defined conditions throughout the course of a phytoplankton bloom, when several important trace gases will be produced and/or consumed microbially. This cannot easily be achieved on ocean-going cruises since the unpredictability of weather and sampling regimes often precludes the unified approach to measuring and sampling that we propose (see work plan). The outcomes of this work will provide valuable statistically-valid datasets for a number of UKSOLAS projects which are generated on large scale (rather than just in laboratory-based experiments) under defined experimental conditions. This will allow us to define the importance of microbes in the transfer of climatically important gases from the oceans to the atmosphere, a central aim of UKSOLAS.
Publications
Taubert M
(2016)
Analysis of Active Methylotrophic Communities: When DNA-SIP Meets High-Throughput Technologies.
in Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)
Lidbury I
(2015)
Comparative genomics and mutagenesis analyses of choline metabolism in the marine Roseobacter clade.
in Environmental microbiology
Cunliffe M
(2011)
Microbiology of aquatic surface microlayers.
in FEMS microbiology reviews
Cunliffe M
(2009)
Comparison and validation of sampling strategies for the molecular microbial analysis of surface microlayers
in Aquatic Microbial Ecology
Cunliffe M
(2009)
Comparison of bacterioneuston and bacterioplankton dynamics during a phytoplankton bloom in a fjord mesocosm.
in Applied and environmental microbiology
Cunliffe M
(2009)
The sea-surface microlayer is a gelatinous biofilm.
in The ISME journal
Cunliffe M
(2010)
Eukarya 18S rRNA gene diversity in the sea surface microlayer: implications for the structure of the neustonic microbial loop.
in The ISME journal
Cunliffe M
(2009)
Dissolved organic carbon and bacterial populations in the gelatinous surface microlayer of a Norwegian fjord mesocosm.
in FEMS microbiology letters
Description | This project unifies a number of individual projects within the current NERC SOLAS directed programme that are investigating the microbial processes controlling the production and consumption of atmospheric trace gases in the sea surface microlayer (SML). This is the interface through which climatically important trace gases such as CH4, N2O, CO, DMS, methyl halides and VICs must pass in order to be released to the atmosphere and/or taken up by the oceans. Microbes that both consume and produce these gases in the SML thus exert major controls on their biogeochemical cycles. The processes which regulate the activities of these microbes are poorly understood but can be directly addressed within UKSOLAS through generating a robust dataset including chemical and biological parameters under carefully defined experimental conditions. Although both SML sampling for biological and chemical components and measurements of SML gas exchange are now routinely possible through the work of the participating research groups, what is now needed is a coherent unifying approach that enhances the scientific deliverables of these ongoing UKSOLAS projects. The Bergen mesocosm facilities afford a unique opportunity for this; they will enable UKSOLAS scientists to generate a robust dataset for experimental analysis and modelling since it will be possible to follow SML microbiology, chemistry and trace gas transfer under carefully defined conditions throughout the course of a phytoplankton bloom, when several important trace gases will be produced and/or consumed microbially. This cannot easily be achieved on ocean-going cruises since the unpredictability of weather and sampling regimes often precludes the unified approach to measuring and sampling that we propose (see work plan). The outcomes of this work will provide valuable statistically-valid datasets for a number of UKSOLAS projects which are generated on large scale (rather than just in laboratory-based experiments) under defined experimental conditions. This will allow us to define the importance of microbes in the transfer of climatically important gases from the oceans to the atmosphere, a central aim of UKSOLAS. |
Exploitation Route | see previous report |
Sectors | Environment |
URL | http://www.jcmurrell.co.uk |
Description | Findings have informed the general public and policy makers about the importance of the microbiology of atmospheric trace gases and microbes in biogeochemical cycling. |
Sector | Environment |
Impact Types | Cultural Societal Policy & public services |
Description | Chinese Academy of Science Award Lecture to general public |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Fighting climate change with microbiology. Chinese Academy of Sciences Distinguished Professorship Award Lecture, Nanjing, China, September, 2015 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | EMBO Conference presentation |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Biogeochemical cycling of atmospheric trace gases. EMBO, Heidelberg, Germany, October 2015 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | Industrial engagement National Biotechnology Institute Montreal Canada |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Research presentation Methanotrophs and methane monooxygenases. NRC-BRI Montreal, April 2015 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | Research presentations at national and international conferences |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | At least 10 research presentations at National and International scientific meetings, workshop and end-user engagement activities, including China, USA, Australia, Germany. Audiences included researchers, postgraduate students, industrialists, policy makers, government organizations |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015,2016 |
Description | School visit |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Stimulated interest in environmental microbiology Increased applications to UEA |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | School visit Ipswich |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Over 100 sixth form students attended my lecture on Fighting climate change with microbiology |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | University Open Days and Summer Schools |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Presentations on research at Open Days, School Visits, Summer Schools (approximately three per year) |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015,2016 |