View from the sampling station at the Scripps Pier. Seasonal changes are crucial in marine microbiomes and can impact nutrient availability, light availability, dissolved oxygen levels, and community interactions. Complex biological and physical processes contribute to microbial community turn over. Understanding what factors contribute to shifts in microbial community structure and what organisms correlate with changes in the products of photosynthesis can improve our understanding of nearshore microbial ecosystem functions.

Seagrass in San Diego Bay forms beds and meadows that provide food and refugee for fish, and they serve as natural defense against pollution. In this study we examined the impact of Zostera species (a type of seagrass) on bacteria and archaea community structure. Publications: Webb, S. J., Rabsatt, T., Erazo, N., & Bowman, J. S. (2019). Impacts of Zostera eelgrasses on microbial community structure in San Diego coastal waters.