omics - NOAA's Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory

A Collaborative Effort Investigates the Biological Carbon Pump, Deploying Sediment Traps Hundreds of Meters Below

AOML Communications — Tue, 23 Jan 2024 14:22:01 +0000

A team of scientists from AOML, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and the University of South Carolina retrieve a sediment trap from the Gulf of Mexico, spending months processing and examining the flurry of microscopic shells and environmental DNA (eDNA) of biological debris collected by the trap, known as “marine snow.” This collaborative NOAA–USGS research project uses these sediment trap samples to investigate the biological carbon pump, the ocean’s role in removing atmospheric carbon, and climate change patterns.

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Failing Upwards: Developing an Autonomous Surface Vehicle to Advance ‘Omics Research

AOML Communications — Thu, 16 Nov 2023 15:44:33 +0000

For engineers and scientists, sometimes failure means progress. When developing a new technology, the process is to field test, fail, tweak, and test again, each time failing a little less and learning what does and does not work until – finally – they get it right. On August 5, 2023, scientists from NOAA’s Great Lakes […]

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AOML Interns Dive into DNA Extraction and Processing Coral Samples for ‘Omics Analyses

AOML Communications — Mon, 10 Jul 2023 21:57:25 +0000

Only a few weeks into summer, Coral Program Interns Lorelei Ing, Taylor Gill, Zachary Zagon and Kenzie Cooke have been hard at work as they process coral samples and perform DNA extractions in preparation for ‘Omics analyses that will help to better understand how the genetic structure of corals influences their resilience to environmental stressors. The Coral Program falls within the Ocean Chemistry and Ecosystems Division (OCED) at NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML).

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“Long-read” genetic sequencing improves scientists’ ability to recover genomes of plankton

AOML Communications — Thu, 22 Dec 2022 16:13:23 +0000

Scientists at NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML) have discovered that “long-read” genetic sequencing can be used to learn more about eukaryotic plankton, including krill and copepods, which are involved in many important marine processes.

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New study highlights major step forward in monitoring ocean health

AOML Communications — Mon, 23 May 2022 16:58:00 +0000

In a major step forward for monitoring the biodiversity of marine systems, a new study published in Environmental DNA details how Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) and NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanographic & Meteorological Laboratory (AOML) researchers are using autonomous underwater robots to sample environmental DNA (eDNA). eDNA allows scientists to detect the presence of aquatic species from the tiny bits of genetic material they leave behind. This DNA soup offers clues about biodiversity changes in sensitive areas, the presence of rare or endangered species, and the spread of invasive species—all critical to understanding, promoting, and maintaining a healthy ocean.

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How the Ocean’s Tiniest Creatures Respond to Changes in the Marine Environment, Revealed by Machine Learning Analysis of ‘Omics Data

AOML Communications — Wed, 04 May 2022 20:45:25 +0000

Although too tiny to be seen by the naked eye, microscopic organisms have a big impact on our planet - supporting fisheries, degrading pollutants, and helping regulate the earth’s climate. A new study published in Nature Communications employed cutting edge research techniques (collectively referred to as 'omics) to reveal how the ocean’s tiniest creatures respond to changes in the marine environment. This work addressed a number of objectives in the NOAA ‘Omics Strategic Plan, which calls for the characterization of food webs that sustain fisheries and vulnerable species.

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Exploring Environmental DNA

AOML Communications — Wed, 27 Apr 2022 15:17:22 +0000

Have you ever wondered what animals might be present in a particular habitat or traveled through a certain area of the ocean? Scientists are able to use environmental DNA or “eDNA” sampling to help answer those questions. NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML) has recently released a new educational video series, “Exploring Environmental DNA” on their website and Youtube channel.

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The Spirit of International Cooperation Drives Oceanographic Discovery Aboard Tara

Nastassia Patin — Tue, 12 Apr 2022 16:24:17 +0000

At 20:00 at 64°S in the austral summer month of February, the sun was still high in the sky. It cast a delicate light over the sea surface dotted with icebergs, which ranged from small misshapen chunks to massive angular structures with marbled cliffsides. In January and February 2022, I took part in an Antarctic voyage aboard the French schooner Tara. My participation was part of a partnership between NOAA and AtlantECO, a European-led consortium to characterize, quantify, and model Atlantic Ocean ecosystems.

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Sediments a Likely Culprit in Spread of Deadly Disease on Florida Coral Reefs, Study Finds

AOML Communications — Mon, 24 Jan 2022 14:45:47 +0000

MIAMI—A new study found that seafloor sediments have the potential to transmit a deadly pathogen to local corals and hypothesizes that sediments have played a role in the persistence of a devastating coral disease outbreak throughout Florida and the Caribbean.

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Environmental DNA Sampling Gets an Upgrade and Transitions to New Open-Source Technology

AOML Communications — Wed, 12 Jan 2022 18:17:23 +0000

Scientists at NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML),the Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies (CIMAS) at the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, and the Northern Gulf Institute at Mississippi State University have engineered a new instrument that will provide valuable information about the biodiversity of aquatic ecosystems. A recently published paper in Hardware X describes the design and creation of a low-cost, open-source sub-surface automated environmental DNA (eDNA) sampler (SASe), for sampling eDNA in the water column. The SASe represents a milestone for AOML as one of the first pieces of technology to go through a rigorous transition process from the desks of scientists in the laboratory, through organizational approval channels, to the wider scientific community with full accessibility to the public.

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