300201 UE Microbial Oceanography Course (2020S)

The aim of the course is to receive hands-on training on current methods in Microbial Oceanography. This includes determining microbial (bacterial, archaeal, viral and phytoplankton) abundance and activity (production, respiration, ectoenzymatic activity) and assessing microbial community composition using molecular methods. Introductory lectures will be given with a focus on the current scientific knowledge on the specific subjects and the measurements being performed. Samples from the water column of the Mediterranean Sea will be collected from different depth (down to 500m) and analyzed in the lab.
Practical work will be performed in groups of 5 students. Each group will work on a specific research topic applying the methods introduced during the first week of the course.
The results of theses research projects are then presented in talks of about 20 min at the end of the course. Finally, the research is summarized in a manuscript structured as a scientific publication.