A Microbial Observatory is a site where we study the microbial components of the ecosystem and we relate them to the function of the ecosystem. We focus on the genomic, functional and species diversity of the microbes and we link them to the cycling of carbon, sulfur and other elements in the plankton of a coastal marine ecosystem.

Blanes Bay, in the NorthWestern Mediterranean was chosen because it is a good example of an oligotrophic (relatively nutrient-poor) coastal ecosystem which is relatively unaffected by human and terrestrial influences. Furthermore, it is one of the sites for which more information exists on the ecology of the Mediterranean planktonic environment, with papers dating back to the 1950's. Finally, it happens to be very close to one marine research laboratory (the CEAB in Blanes itself) and not far away from the Institut de Ciències del Mar in Barcelona.

Link to project page.

At this moment, the data available correspond to the historical and current basic physicochemical data, including chlorophyll and bacterial abundance. In the near future we expect to include a BLAST-to-BBMOdata tool, for which we will be able to blast a genetic sequence to the bacteria that have been studied in Blanes.

                                                                      Click "Access to data" in the lefthand side menu.

Lead researchers: Ramón Massana and Pep Gasol