Marine Microbiome Initiative - Australia’s Integrated Marine Observing System
Original (non-English) name
Acronym
Marine Microbiome Initiative - IMOS
Citation
Users of IMOS data are required to clearly acknowledge the source material by including the following statement:
Australia’s Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS) is enabled by the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS). It is operated by a consortium of institutions as an unincorporated joint venture, with the University of Tasmania as Lead Agent.
Abstract
The Australian Microbiome Initiative is a national bio-resource, providing a central database of marine microbial DNA and bioinformatics in association with Bioplatforms Australia. Water samples are collected annually at IMOS National Reference Stations from several depths, establishing a time-series of the marine microbial communities in Australian coastal waters. Sampling of zooplankton is also included, providing an additional metazoan component of the pelagic ecosystem.
Sequence and bioinformatic data provide crucial spatial and temporal information that underpin the understanding of Australian marine microbiology. Coupled with the suite of biological, physical and chemical observations already established at IMOS National Reference Stations, The Marine Microbiome Initiative supports the understanding of status and trends of oceanic health, biochemistry and primary productivity. Additionally, the availability of eDNA represents a valuable resource for genomic interrogation of a diverse range of taxa at multiple trophic levels, providing further insights into lower-trophic biodiversity and larger-scale marine ecosystem processes.