Superlupe for the investigation of marine microorganisms

Marine researchers are on the trail of microorganisms with new superlupe

11.10.2012

Scientists at the GEOMAR Helmholtz Center for Ocean Research Kiel are from now on with a veritable superlupe on the small organic particles and organisms of the oceans on the track. The new „confocal laser scanning microscope“allows researchers new insights into the marine microcosm of bacteria, single-celled algae and copepods, according to the Helmholtz Center for Ocean Research.

The great importance of small organic particles and organisms for the food webs of the oceans and the global carbon cycle has long been known, according to the researchers. „But in detail, many of the processes involved are not yet understood“, explained Professor Anja Engel, head of the research area „Marine biogeochemistry“ at the Helmholtz Center for Ocean Research in Kiel. According to the expert, the organic particles and small organisms such as bacteria, single-celled algae and copepods play an extremely important role „in the food webs of the oceans, in the global production of oxygen or in the binding of carbon.“ With the help of the new special microscope, its importance for the material and energy flows in the oceans can be better analyzed in the future.

Special microscope allows new insights into the organic carbon cycle of the oceans
The 200,000-euro confocal laser scanning microscope can „The investigated structures with a resolution of a few hundred nanometers in three-dimensional detail“ according to the Communication of the Helmholtz Center for Ocean Research. The microscope produces sharp and detailed images of optical sections through the specimens, resulting in a series of images of precise three-dimensional representations“ can be made, explains Dr. Jan Michels, marine biologist at the Helmholtz Center for Ocean Research in Kiel. For the time being, the scientists want to use the special microscope primarily for the analysis of so-called gel particles, which arise from dissolved organic substances and play an important role in the organic carbon cycle of the oceans, according to the latest release.

Marine microcosm under the magnifying glass
Little is known about the exact composition and availability of the gel particles, explained Prof. Engel. According to the expert, it will be with the new microscope in the future, however „be possible to directly study the structure, the biochemical composition and the microbial colonization of individual gel particles.“ In this way, the researchers can advance further than before into the marine microcosm, explained Prof. Engel.Nach offer the new microscope in addition to the study of gel particles opportunities to work many more questions about the marine micro-world. „The more we learn about the marine micro-organisms, the more we realize their importance for the climate and the health of the oceans, and thus ultimately for us humans“, stressed the head of the research area „Marine biogeochemistry“ at the Helmholtz Center for Ocean Research in Kiel.

The acquisition costs of around 200,000 euros for the new special microscope were funded by a grant from the Helmholtz Association for excellent female scientists to Professor Engel. (Fp)

Image: Dieter Schütz