Through the BIOcean5D project, we’re exploring marine life and how it changes with space, time, and human impact. Central to achieving that goal is the collection of data and samples along Europe’s coasts, in collaboration with more than 90 partners, including EMBL’s TREC expedition, in partnership with the Tara Ocean Foundation and the EMBRC. The integration of these new samples with existing historical data will enable critical marine biodiversity and ecosystem knowledge gaps to be filled.
BIOcean5D’s task 1.3 fits within this objective. Led by the EMBRC, the aim of the task is to reveal marine biodiversity dynamics over recent decades through the comparative analysis of existing biodiversity data collected over at least five years. “By comparing time series datasets from different locations, we can form stronger and more robust conclusions about what governs biodiversity change across time and different locations,” explains Christina Pavloudi, data scientist at EMBRC. “This knowledge could help to predict the impact of climate change on marine biodiversity in the future.”
Metabarcoding data in the Western English Channel
One aspect of this work involves the comparative analysis of metabarcoding datasets. “Metabarcoding is a powerful tool that involves the analysis of DNA sequences for short regions of one or a few genes (DNA barcodes) that enables the identification of multiple species within a single sample,” explains Nicolas Henry, CNRS research engineer working on the ABiMS (Analysis and Bioinformatics for Marine Science) platform at the Station Biologique de Roscoff.
The scientists will first focus on the comparison of metabarcoding time series data from Roscoff (France) and Plymouth (UK). “These two datasets are interesting to compare because, despite the close proximity of Roscoff and Plymouth in the Western English Channel, their hydrology is very different,” explains Nicolas. “The water mass at Roscoff, for example, is constantly mixed whereas at Plymouth, it stratifies during the summer, which could affect nutrient availability.”
The BIOcean5D workshop brought scientists working collaboratively on the comparative analysis of marine biodiversity data together in Roscoff. Credit: Joanna Warwick-Dugdale.
Collaborative science
The collaborative research involves scientists based in different laboratories across multiple countries. A workshop was therefore organised from the 18 to 20 June in Roscoff bringing together Joanna Warwick-Dugdale and Michael Cunliffe from the Marine Biological Association (UK); Christina Pavloudi from EMBRC; and Christian Jeanthon, Nathalie Simon, Fabienne Rigaut-Jalabert, Thierry Comtet, Gaëtan Burgaud, Colomban de Vargas and Nicolas Henry from the Station Biologique de Roscoff.
Key takeaways
The workshop provided all participants with a general overview of the dynamics and composition of plankton communities at Roscoff and Plymouth over time and the main differences between the two locations. “Plankton respond to different factors depending on their location,” explains Nicolas. “By comparing data from Roscoff and Plymouth, we can identify the main factors responsible for plankton succession in coastal environments in the Western English Channel.”
The comparative analysis of the two datasets will enable the species common to both Roscoff and Plymouth to be identified. “During the workshop, we collectively determined the best strategies and methodologies to analyse the stability of microbial communities over the years in both locations. The assessment and comparison of variations in these communities will enable the drivers of those changes to be better understood,” explains Christina.
The first workshop held in June in Roscoff will be followed by a second in autumn to discuss the first results obtained. Credit: Joanna Warwick-Dugdale.
First results and onwards to the Mediterranean
The comparative analysis of the Roscoff and Plymouth datasets will begin during the summer. A second workshop is planned in autumn to discuss the first results – stay tuned for highlights! The knowledge gained from working on the Plymouth-Roscoff data will also contribute to advancing the comparative analysis of the next two major time series: Blanes Bay (Spain) and Banyuls (France) in the Mediterranean Sea.