Biological characterization of a High Arctic seabed hydrocarbon seep at Scott Inlet, Baffin Bay

Understanding the microbial hydrocarbon degradation potential in Arctic marine environments is critical to preparedness for an oil spill in cold northern seas. Characterizing the Arctic marine microbiome is the Canadian Arctic is an important objective towards establishing baseline data in the face of rapid climate change. Seabed hydrocarbon seeps present a natural laboratory for investigating responses of marine ecosystems to hydrocarbon input. This project will explore the in situ bacterial community composition at and around a known hydrocarbon seep at Scott Inlet, Baffin Bay using genomics and geochemical measurements.