Persistent Digital Identifiers (UIDs)
ORCID :
0000-0002-2361-1985
Subject Area
Biological Oceanography, Marine Ecology
Activities
I study the roles of marine microorganisms (including bacteria, archaea, viruses, and protists) in marine food webs and ecosystems. My lab developed methods to measure bacterial growth rates, to count viruses in seawater by epifluorescence microscopy, and to assess community composition of the entire plankton community by a single PCR assay based on universal 3-domain rRNA PCR primers. We discovered the unexpectedly high contribution of bacteria to marine food web processes (consuming ~half the total production), abundant archaea in seawater and the importance of viruses infecting bacteria, including cyanobacteria, in seawater. We developed global datasets (e.g. GRUMP) on holistic plankton community composition as well as running the 25+ year SPOT time series of microbial community composition and activity, monthly from surface to sea floor (890m) since 2000, between Los Angeles and Santa Catalina Island. Our work has also assessed human pathogenic viruses and bacteria in seawater. We are interested in biomass, biogeography, diversity and activities of all these organisms, and the factors controlling them, especially as studied by molecular biological techniques. We also assess effects of (and on) global change, including long term assessments.
Skills
Identification of microorganisms including bacteria, archaea, viruses (non-cultivation, DNA or RNA based methods). Measurement of microbial abundance and activity. Detection and measurement of microbial contaminants, including human pathogens, in water and air.
Interpretation of biological oceanographic datasets including biotic and abiotic water properties, satellite imagery
