Aqueous microbial communities from the Delaware River/Bay and Chesapeake Bay under freshwater to marine salinity gradient to study organic matter cycling in a time-series. freshwater metagenome

This project aims to examine biogeochemical cycling mechanisms of active bacteria in the freshwater to marine transition zone of two of the largest estuaries in the US, the Delaware and Chesapeake Bays. We have examined the functional potential (metagenome) and expression patterns (metatranscriptome) of microbial communities and compared those to specific changes in environmental factors, including type and quantity of dissolved organic matter. In addition, we will examine the quantity, types and functional potential of viruses from the same samples by sequencing the viral fraction of these samples.