NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2012

Fontanez Kristina M, Arlington MA

Investigators

Abstract

Microbial processing of marine particulate organic carbon Microbes play important roles in the cycling of carbon through our biosphere and thus their activity has profound implications for atmospheric carbon dioxide levels and climate change. The biological pump is a globally significant process in which atmospheric CO2 is transferred to the deep-sea in the form of particulate organic carbon (POC). The bulk of deep-sea metabolism is particle-associated and yet our knowledge of how microbial composition and activity combine to regulate the transformation of POC is limited. Microbial blooms act to stimulate pulses of POC export and thus serve as excellent case studies for examining the roles of free-living and particle-attached microbes in the deep-sea carbon cycle. This study will be conducted in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre, which has recurring summer blooms, using new molecular techniques that enable the simultaneous examination of taxonomic composition, gene content, and gene expression (metagenomics and metatranscriptomics). The scientific training objectives of this study are to receive training in metatranscriptomic and metagenomic analysis and gain field experience in oceanographic sampling and deployments. Professional development will be provided by a Professional Development Training program sponsored by the Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education (C-MORE). The broader impacts of the proposed research will be facilitated by C-MORE, which will enable the broad dissemination of scientific findings to the wider community and promote K-12 education through the translation of scientific findings into age-appropriate science kits. Finally, this study will broaden participation of underrepresented ethnic groups by increasing the representation of Hispanic women in biology.