Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

SPCMSC Scientists Participate in Research Cruise to Collect Gulf of America Deep Sea Corals for Microbiology Research

By St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center August 18, 2023

Research Microbiologist Christina Kellogg and Research Marine Biologist James Evans took part in a research cruise in the Gulf of America, collecting mesophotic and deep-sea coral specimens for microbiology research.

Media
Left: Remote operated vehicle resting on ship's deck, for deep sea coral collections. Right: colorful corals photos at depth
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Left: the ROV Mohawk, the remotely operated vehicle used to collect specimens at depth, on board the NOAA Ship Pisces. Right: the diversity of corals shown at one site in the mesophotic zone of the Gulf of America.

Drs. Kellogg and Evans each took part in one leg of the month-long cruise, traveling from Pascagoula, Mississippi into the Gulf of America onboard the NOAA Ship Pisces as part of the Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource Damage Assessment Mesophotic and Deep Benthic Communities restoration project. As part of this project, Kellogg and Evans collected samples of mesophotic and deep-sea coral specimens for microbial ecology studies, with the goal of understanding the health of benthic communities in sites impacted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) Mohawk was equipped with a specialized container for microbiology specimen collections and was used to recover samples of deep sea corals at depth.

Related

Colonies of the deep-sea coral Lophelia pertusa off the coast of South Carolina

DISCOVRE: Diversity, Systematics and Connectivity of Vulnerable Reef Ecosystems

DISCOVRE ( DIversity, Systematics and COnnectivity of Vulnerable Reef Ecosystems) is an integrated, multidisciplinary, international effort investigating the unique and fragile deep-sea coral environments from the microscopic level to the ecosystem level.
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center, Deep Sea Exploration, Mapping and Characterization
DISCOVRE: Diversity, Systematics and Connectivity of Vulnerable Reef Ecosystems

DISCOVRE: Diversity, Systematics and Connectivity of Vulnerable Reef Ecosystems

DISCOVRE ( DIversity, Systematics and COnnectivity of Vulnerable Reef Ecosystems) is an integrated, multidisciplinary, international effort investigating the unique and fragile deep-sea coral environments from the microscopic level to the ecosystem level.
Learn More
Image: Deep-Sea, Cold Water Coral

Coral Microbial Ecology

The coral microbial ecology group has an active research program identifying and characterizing the microbial associates of both tropical and cold-water (deep-sea) corals and their surrounding habitat. Current projects focus on coral disease dynamics, bacterial diversity, and using metagenomics to elucidate the functional roles of coral microbes.
By
St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
Coral Microbial Ecology

Coral Microbial Ecology

The coral microbial ecology group has an active research program identifying and characterizing the microbial associates of both tropical and cold-water (deep-sea) corals and their surrounding habitat. Current projects focus on coral disease dynamics, bacterial diversity, and using metagenomics to elucidate the functional roles of coral microbes.
Learn More
A wall of Desmophyllum dianthus cup corals with bonus octopus neighbor.

DISCOVRE - Diversity, Systematics and Connectivity of Vulnerable Reef Ecosystems Project

This project uses amplicon sequencing, and functional microarrays to examine the microbiomes of several deep-sea coral species, with priority given to species that are also of interest to the population genetics group: Desmophyllum dianthus, Lophelia pertusa, Enallopsammia sp., and Acanthogorgia sp. The project also uses metagenomics to survey benthic habitats including coral mounds, cold seeps...
By
St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Gulf of America
DISCOVRE - Diversity, Systematics and Connectivity of Vulnerable Reef Ecosystems Project

DISCOVRE - Diversity, Systematics and Connectivity of Vulnerable Reef Ecosystems Project

This project uses amplicon sequencing, and functional microarrays to examine the microbiomes of several deep-sea coral species, with priority given to species that are also of interest to the population genetics group: Desmophyllum dianthus, Lophelia pertusa, Enallopsammia sp., and Acanthogorgia sp. The project also uses metagenomics to survey benthic habitats including coral mounds, cold seeps...
Learn More

Related

Colonies of the deep-sea coral Lophelia pertusa off the coast of South Carolina

DISCOVRE: Diversity, Systematics and Connectivity of Vulnerable Reef Ecosystems

DISCOVRE ( DIversity, Systematics and COnnectivity of Vulnerable Reef Ecosystems) is an integrated, multidisciplinary, international effort investigating the unique and fragile deep-sea coral environments from the microscopic level to the ecosystem level.
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center, Deep Sea Exploration, Mapping and Characterization
DISCOVRE: Diversity, Systematics and Connectivity of Vulnerable Reef Ecosystems

DISCOVRE: Diversity, Systematics and Connectivity of Vulnerable Reef Ecosystems

DISCOVRE ( DIversity, Systematics and COnnectivity of Vulnerable Reef Ecosystems) is an integrated, multidisciplinary, international effort investigating the unique and fragile deep-sea coral environments from the microscopic level to the ecosystem level.
Learn More
Image: Deep-Sea, Cold Water Coral

Coral Microbial Ecology

The coral microbial ecology group has an active research program identifying and characterizing the microbial associates of both tropical and cold-water (deep-sea) corals and their surrounding habitat. Current projects focus on coral disease dynamics, bacterial diversity, and using metagenomics to elucidate the functional roles of coral microbes.
By
St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
Coral Microbial Ecology

Coral Microbial Ecology

The coral microbial ecology group has an active research program identifying and characterizing the microbial associates of both tropical and cold-water (deep-sea) corals and their surrounding habitat. Current projects focus on coral disease dynamics, bacterial diversity, and using metagenomics to elucidate the functional roles of coral microbes.
Learn More
A wall of Desmophyllum dianthus cup corals with bonus octopus neighbor.

DISCOVRE - Diversity, Systematics and Connectivity of Vulnerable Reef Ecosystems Project

This project uses amplicon sequencing, and functional microarrays to examine the microbiomes of several deep-sea coral species, with priority given to species that are also of interest to the population genetics group: Desmophyllum dianthus, Lophelia pertusa, Enallopsammia sp., and Acanthogorgia sp. The project also uses metagenomics to survey benthic habitats including coral mounds, cold seeps...
By
St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Gulf of America
DISCOVRE - Diversity, Systematics and Connectivity of Vulnerable Reef Ecosystems Project

DISCOVRE - Diversity, Systematics and Connectivity of Vulnerable Reef Ecosystems Project

This project uses amplicon sequencing, and functional microarrays to examine the microbiomes of several deep-sea coral species, with priority given to species that are also of interest to the population genetics group: Desmophyllum dianthus, Lophelia pertusa, Enallopsammia sp., and Acanthogorgia sp. The project also uses metagenomics to survey benthic habitats including coral mounds, cold seeps...
Learn More
Was this page helpful?