Activities and Interactions

Autotrophic processes (photosynthesis and chemosynthesis) constitute the foundation of marine microbial food webs, while heterotrophy involves the myriad uses of the carbon and energy fixed by autotrophs. Microbe-microbe interactions in the ocean span a wide range of relationships including osmotrophy, phagotrophy, mixotrophy, mutualism, parasitism and commensalism. Past research on marine microbes has established the basic patterns of microbial abundances and standing stocks in much of the world ocean. Recent applications of modern approaches and technologies are now beginning to provide novel insights into microbial diversity, and the fundamental physiological and ecological principles governing the activities and interactions of microbial taxa. Understanding these interactions and their resultant biogeochemical activities constitutes a critical avenue of research given that much of the energy flow and elemental cycling in the ocean is not only conducted by microorganisms but dictated by their tropic interactions. The goal of this conference will be to highlight the most recent discoveries and emerging new paradigms with respect to the diversity, activities and interactions of marine microbes. The foci of the conference will be (1) an in-depth analysis of these interactions vis-à-vis the nature of microbial interactions, the evolutionary strategies they comprise and the ecological advantages they confer, and (2) a perspective on the efficacy of extant and future research approaches for describing and predicting the structure and activity of marine microbial assemblages.