Marine Ecosystem Microbiology

John Dugan

My research is focused on marine ecosystems responses to increases and decreases in amounts of certain microbial organisms. I read a study about scientists tracking changes in phytoplankton diversity in a section of the Songhua river in China. The scientists measured and compared these changes to the overall function of the environment they were present in. I found another study where scientists found that the amount of zooplankton throughout the world's aquatic ecosystems was impacted by human activity. The final research paper discussed how the increasing amounts of microplastics in marine ecosystems can negatively affect plankton populations. From the research presented in my poster we can gain an increased understanding of how the microbial population in marine ecosystems affects plankton health. I will complete Ingenuity’s Research Practicum and hope to find a mentor in the field of marine biology.