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The activity of microscopic plankton in the Weddell Sea in Antarctica is crucial in regulating the planet’s climate with an important participation in biogeochemical cycles, however we are still lacking sufficient understanding of how the system functions and the global scale consequences.
How does the Weddell Sea microbiome operate, and how will a better understanding of its functioning help us model the evolution of the ocean, its health and its contributions to ecosystem services over time?
To make sense of these questions, Professor Alessandro Tagliabue spoke to the AtlantEco Podcast. Alessandro is an oceanographer and was chief scientist on board the laboratory-schooner Tara as it undertook the Antarctic leg of the ‘Mission Microbiomes’ expedition.
During this conversation Alessandro explains the challenges that exist in studying this region, and why it is so important to study it to better understand the ocean’s health, its evolution and functioning. He recounts the conditions in which the team worked together to collect the samples and data, and the life on board, witnessing amazing wildlife in this very special region of the Atlantic Ocean.
Listen to the podcast here
Mission Microbiomes is a two-year expedition that will cover 70,000 kilometres in the South Atlantic from Chile via Antarctica to South Africa as it studies the benefits of ocean microbiome and its interactions with the climate and pollution.