Microbes play many vital roles in the oceans through the transformation and cycling of elements such as carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur. They are fundamental components of marine food webs, and although small, their activities affect global biogeochemical cycles and help regulate our planet’s climate. Using cutting-edge technologies, faculty in the department study the diversity, structure, and function of microbial communities across the global ocean including coastal Georgia, oligotrophic gyres, hydrothermal vents, and the Southern Ocean. Cell biochemistry, physiology, and metabolism are investigated in the lab and field to determine the nature of interactions among viruses, bacteria, phytoplankton and microeukaryotes, how these microorganisms affect the cycling of carbon and energy.
