Towards a Latin American and Caribbean international census of marine microbes (LACar – ICoMM): overview and discussion on some current research directions

L.F. ARTIGAS; E. OTERO; R. PARANHOS; M.L. GÓMEZ; C. PICCINI; M. COSTAGLIOLA; R. SILVA; P. SUÁREZ; V.A. GALLARDO; D.U. HERNÁNDEZ-BECERRIL; A. CHISTOSERDOV; R. VIEIRA; M. PEREZ- CENCI; J.F. TERNON; B. BEKER; M. THYSSEN; H. DIONISI; I. DO ROSARIO MARINHO-JAUSSAUD; A. GONZALEZ; C. HURTADO; J.P. PARRA; C. ALONSO; C. HOZBOR; S. PERESSUTTI; R. NEGRI; C. ESPINOZA; A. CARDOSO; O. MARTINS; F. COVACEVICH; C. BERÓN; G.L. SALERNO

REVISTA DE BIOLOGíA TROPICAL

REVISTA DE BIOLOGIA TROPICAL

Lugar: San Jose, Costa Rica; Año: 2008 vol. 56 p. 183 - 214

0034-7744

Abstract: The International Census of Marine Microbes (ICoMM), together with the South American andCaribbean Steering Committees of the Census of Marine Life program (CoML), supported the initiative oflaunching a regional ICoMM node (LACar ICoMM). This network aims at promoting discussions among scientistscurrently involved in marine microbial studies carried out at both the South American and the Caribbeanregions, in order to evaluate the research capabilities and to identify complementary strengths and/or possibilitiesfor enhanced collaboration, that would improve the knowledge on marine microbes and their biodiversityin both regions. We present an overview and discussion on some of the directions of current research on marinemicrobes in these regions. Concerning the marine phytoplankton studies, the best known taxonomic groups arediatoms and dinoflagellates. In Mexican marine waters, the number of taxa recorded to date is of about 1400.Studies dealing with bacterial, phytoplankton and/or cyanobacterial dynamics are carried out in the Caribbeancoastal and oceanic marine systems, underscoring the importance of various environmental states, modulatedby geographic and seasonal patterns as well as by the expression of large South American rivers. One of themain issues of this type of survey is the determination of wet and dry seasonal patterns of bacterial dynamics, inseascapes off Puerto Rico, with moderate to absent river inputs. Phytoplankton and bacterioplankton dynamicsare also studied in F. Guiana coastal and shelf systems under direct Amazon influence, well known for theirimportant fisheries resources, as well as in other South American marine systems influenced by important freshwater inputs or under upwelling conditions. Bacterial and/or picoeukaryotes diversity are assessed in particular