Microbes
About Microbes
Marine particles, especially microplastics, significantly affect microbial community structure, biogeochemical processes, and ecosystem health. The Pacific Ocean, home to extensive plastic accumulation zones, provides a critical context to investigate microbes colonizing these pollutants. Microbes on microplastics, or the plastisphere, have distinct communities capable of plastic degradation and potentially harmful ecological interactions. The Polynesian Moananuiākea Voyage presents a unique chance to collect comprehensive samples across diverse Pacific ecosystems, allowing exploration of microbial diversity, functionality, and biodegradation potential.
Hōkūleʻa Sampling
The Microbiome Ecology Laboratory at VIMS, led by Professor Bongkeun Song, is investigating the structure and functional potential of microbial communities attached to marine particles, particularly microplastics, to understand their roles in oceanic carbon and nutrient cycling across geographically and environmentally distinct regions. Particles > 1 mm will be isolated and the surface biofilm will undergo DNA extraction to characterize both the associated prokaryotic and eukaryotic communities. This cutting-edge research will be able to identify possible pathogenic species and antimicrobial resistance genes transported on the surface of plastics to remote ocean locations.