Identification and Characterization of the Winter Aquatic Microbiome in the Chesapeake Bay
Midshipman Researcher(s): 1/C Caitlyn Koo
Adviser(s): Associate Professor Charles Sweet
Poster #21
In this project we identify and characterize the aquatic microbiome of the Severn River and Chesapeake Bay in winter by bacterial culture-based population sampling, genetic identification, and taxonomic analysis. This microbiome is of both civilian and DoD interest as it may reveal interesting metabolic, toxic, and pathogenic capabilities of the microbiome and identify potential threats to health and readiness. Sampling was conducted in both Severn River and mid-bay locations in February 2020, the resulting data reveal trends in bacterial diversity and composition by location and sampling depth. This work will also be compared with ongoing metagenomic efforts for thorough characterization.
