Molecular diversity time series database for northern Gulf of Mexico

While microorganisms are rather small, they encompass a large percentage of the biomass and diversity seen in marine environments. They are the building blocks that makeup the foundations of critical marine food webs. Cataloging and monitoring these organisms is important to understand their vital roles in food webs and nutrient cycling (Azam et al. 1983). It is crucial to establish baseline community dynamics in an aquatic system over an extended period. Once a baseline has been established. we can explore how or why microbial communities change. Through the continuation of this seasona study, we have collected water samples from the Pensacola Beach Pier for over six years, providing a wealth of experience and many molecular diversity samples to be processed