Marie Curie Actions: Inspiring Researchers - Imdea

Up close withplankton, 20 000leagues under the seaThe esteemed Netherlands Institute for Sea Research wasthe setting for Dr Agogué’s Marie Curie project, known asPaphos. Her mentor was microbial oceanography expertProfessor Gerhard Herndl. She arrived in the Netherlands fromher native France fresh from her PhD in sea surface bacteria atthe University of Lyon I. There she joined a team investigatingthe role and make-up of microbial communities in the depthsof the North Atlantic waters.Replenishing EarthThe movement of matter within or between ecosystems,whether it is caused by living organisms, geological forces orchemical reactions, is known as the biogeochemical cycle.The cycle allows all elements, such as nitrogen and oxygen,to be recycled. In this way, the Earth replenishes itself timeand time again.Knowledge about how these processes work will help scientiststo understand the entire Earth system better and to keep aneye on the delicate balances that keep it functioning. A wealthof literature is available on the levels of carbon dioxide in theatmosphere. But since the same amount of organic carbon isstored in the deep ocean, the mysteries of the deep deservea little more attention.‘Only when we have an improved knowledge of deep oceancarbon cycling will we be able to make educated predictionson the role of the deep ocean in the carbon budget of theEarth system,’ says Dr Agogué. A better understanding ofthe components which make up the carbon balance may helppolicy-makers take the decisions needed to sustain it.Marine life, and specifi cally microbe behaviour, is the scientist’ssecret weapon in measuring both the underwater productionand consumption of carbon.The research vessel Pelagia of the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research during the Archimedes 2 cruise (North Atlantic - Nov. 2006)© Alexander Bochdansky105