Dynamics and Structure of Marine Populations and Communities
Rapid analysis of plankton samples-
A revolutionary molecular technique is being developed and field-tested to identify and quantify species in plankton samples to overcome a longstanding barrier to studying plankton communities. This technique is being used to determine larval migration and recruitment patterns for 46 species of crustaceans in the vicinity of Bodega Bay and is also being used to develop an early warning system for detecting the spread of invasive species along the West Coast. This high‑throughput method for the identification and quantification of individual species in plankton samples is based on quantitative PCR (qPCR) and promises to be a major advance in cracking the “black box” of larval ecology. Adults of 74 species were collected for DNA extraction from the vicinity of BML and from distant parts of their ranges in southern California and Washington to determine the sensitivity of the assays to all genetic variants of the target species. We then evaluated the practicality of qPCR in typical plankton sampling applications, including the 1) cost and labor requirements when performed routinely by trained technicians and students and 2) accuracy and efficiency of qPCR assays compared to direct counts by microscopy.
Steven Morgan, Ph.D.
A revolutionary molecular technique is being developed and field-tested to identify and quantify species in plankton samples to overcome a longstanding barrier to studying plankton communities. This technique is being used to determine larval migration and recruitment patterns for 46 species of crustaceans in the vicinity of Bodega Bay and is also being used to develop an early warning system for detecting the spread of invasive species along the West Coast. This high‑throughput method for the identification and quantification of individual species in plankton samples is based on quantitative PCR (qPCR) and promises to be a major advance in cracking the “black box” of larval ecology. Adults of 74 species were collected for DNA extraction from the vicinity of BML and from distant parts of their ranges in southern California and Washington to determine the sensitivity of the assays to all genetic variants of the target species. We then evaluated the practicality of qPCR in typical plankton sampling applications, including the 1) cost and labor requirements when performed routinely by trained technicians and students and 2) accuracy and efficiency of qPCR assays compared to direct counts by microscopy.