Ocean Sampling Day!
Never before so many people contributed to a simultaneous sampling of the ocean. On the occasion of ‘Ocean Sampling Day’ (21 June 2014) oceanographers and citizens on not less than 187 sites worldwide have been taking seawater samples in order to unveil the secrets of microbial life in the ocean. VLIZ participated in this global exercise by taking samples with its research vessel Simon Stevin in the Belgian part of the North Sea, which generated a lot of attention from national and international press.
These cumulative samples, related in time, space and environmental parameters, will provide insights into fundamental rules describing microbial diversity and function and will contribute to the blue economy through the identification of novel, ocean-derived biotechnologies. It is expected that these data will provide a reference data set for generations of experiments to follow in the coming decade.
The VLIZ, with Lifewatch has been participating in the project since the beginning back in December 2012. During this testing phase, VLIZ has chosen one specific station in the middle of the Belgian Part of the North Sea to be sampled: station 330, which is one of our oldest and best known stations. For OSD itself, with cooperation from the Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Reseach (ILVO) no less than 17 stations were sampled. Moreover, the VLIZ facilitated other partners to set up an 18th Belgian station in the Scheldt Estuary, by means of experience, material and technique.
The VLIZ, with Lifewatch has been participating in the project since the beginning back in December 2012. During this testing phase, VLIZ has chosen one specific station in the middle of the Belgian Part of the North Sea to be sampled: station 330, which is one of our oldest and best known stations. For OSD itself, with cooperation from the Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Reseach (ILVO) no less than 17 stations were sampled. Moreover, the VLIZ facilitated other partners to set up an 18th Belgian station in the Scheldt Estuary, by means of experience, material and technique.
