Genoscope research projects in the Tara Oceans Expedition

Genoscope is participating in the Tara Oceans expedition by providing its savoir-faire in genomics. This expedition, which will cover all the oceans of the planet, will collect about 900 specimens in three years, with the goal of exploring the diversity of the plankton and relating biological parameters to the physical-chemical parameters recorded. This inventory will serve as a basis for studies of the ecosystems of marine organisms and the impact of climate change.

Genoscope will concentrate on unicellular eukaryotic organisms called protists. Why are these marine microorganisms interesting? Because their impact on global geochemical cycles and climate is extremely important. They represent essential links in the food chain, absorb half of our CO2 production and release 50% of the oxygen on the planet. In spite of this, their extraordinary biodiversity remains to be discovered.

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> Research unit
> Tara Oceans website

  VIDEO : Interview of Jean Weissenbach