Research project Microbial interactions and VOC cycling
SeaLab is a joint research venture between the Baltic Sea Centre at Stockholm University and the Environmental Genomics group at SciLifeLab. By combining biogeochemical, ecological, molecular and meta-omic expertise and know-how, the aim is to understand the fundamental microbial processes of coastal ecosystems.
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are key intermediates in microbial metabolism and play important roles in ecological interactions, biogeochemical cycling, and sea-atmosphere exchange. Microbial activity regulates their production and consumption, which ultimately influences their emissions to the atmosphere where they impact atmospheric chemistry and climate. We investigate the temporal dynamics of microbial VOC cycling across scales, from diel physiological processes to bloom-associated and seasonal ecosystem dynamics, by coupling diversity analyses (who is there?) with activity measurements (who is active, and when?).