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Genomic perspectives in microbial oceanography

Nature volume 437, pages 336–342 (2005)Cite this article

A Corrigendum to this article was published on 23 February 2006

Abstract

The global ocean is an integrated living system where energy and matter transformations are governed by interdependent physical, chemical and biotic processes. Although the fundamentals of ocean physics and chemistry are well established, comprehensive approaches to describing and interpreting oceanic microbial diversity and processes are only now emerging. In particular, the application of genomics to problems in microbial oceanography is significantly expanding our understanding of marine microbial evolution, metabolism and ecology. Integration of these new genome-enabled insights into the broader framework of ocean science represents one of the great contemporary challenges for microbial oceanographers.

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Figure 1: Marine microbial interactions in the upper ocean.
Figure 2: Selected milestones in marine microbial oceanography.
Figure 3: Microbial systems analysis in oceanography.

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Acknowledgements

The authors' work is supported by the NSF, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and the Department of Energy. We thank our colleagues, students and CMORE collaborators for their ideas, inspiration and enthusiasm.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering & Division of Biological Engineering, 48-427 Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, 02139, Massachusetts, USA

    Edward F. DeLong

  2. School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, 96822, Hawaii, USA

    David M. Karl

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Correspondence to Edward F. DeLong.

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DeLong, E., Karl, D. Genomic perspectives in microbial oceanography. Nature 437, 336–342 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature04157

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