From Microbes to Whales: Using Genomics to Track Changing Marine Biodiversity

Means to track how life in the sea is changing over space and time are sorely lacking. Traditional ways require expensive collections from ships and expert analysis by trained taxonomists who are slowly disappearing. As part of a recently funded demonstration Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (MBON) we have been investigating the use of genomics to trace changing marine biodiversity. Most forms of marine life shed or leave behind residues containing nucleic acids in suspended or dissolved form. These materials, concentrated on low porosity (0.2 micron) filters, can then be analyzed for their genetic content potentially permitting the assessment of marine biodiversity, from microbes to whales. Here we present a plan to do this over three functional groups, microbes, micro and macro plankton, and vertebrates. Initial proof-of-concept results, methodological experiments and data management plans are presented as are analysis of material collected using autonomous systems with advanced collection systems. Should these methods prove feasible they would provide biologists with opportunities akin to physical oceanographers for the study of the response of ocean ecosystems to climate variability and change.