vi
Preface
approaches to a much broader range of species but has also opened up new fields
of genomics such as metagenomics and metatranscriptomics in which sequencing
methodologies are used in new and innovative ways. Marine biology has been at the
forefront of many of these new applications.
Genomic approaches are now being applied to a diverse catalogue of questions
in marine biology. These include exploiting the enormous phylogenetic diversity
of marine organisms to explore the evolution of developmental processes, characterising the marine ecosystems that play key roles in global geochemical cycles,
searching for novel biomolecules and understanding ecological interactions within
important marine ecosystems. Several of these domains have become increasingly
important in the context of global climate change.
The objective of this book is to provide an overview of recent advances in the
application of genomic approaches in the domain of marine biology. Each chapter covers a specific field, providing an introduction to that area and detailing how
genomic approaches have been adapted to the specific requirements of that field of
research. The final chapter discusses some practical questions of applying genomic
techniques, particularly in terms of the bioinformatic challenges. Many of these
fields of research addressed by individual chapters in this book will be covered in
further detail by complete volumes within the Advances in Marine Genomics book
series.
The first chapter looks at how genomic techniques are being used to explore and
monitor biodiversity in the marine environment. Consideration of biodiversity is of
particular interest in the light of accelerating climate change, which is increasingly
affecting many key marine ecosystems. The chapter emphasises how biodiversity
in the oceans is structured into ecosystems and the importance of interactions
between different hierarchical levels within these ecosystems. Genomic approaches
are described for the investigation of diversity at several different levels: taxonomic,
genetic and functional.
Chapter 2 looks at the rapidly evolving field of metagenomics or environmental
sequencing in which sequencing analysis is applied to communities of several (or
many) species rather than single, isolated organisms. The emergence of metagenomics as a discipline is described, with particular reference to the important
role played by marine ecosystems. The chapter emphasises the innovative nature
of metagenomic approaches, particularly with respect to providing global views
of ecosystems and as a means to describe species that cannot be cultivated in
the laboratory. Recently developed approaches such as metatranscriptomics and
metaproteomics are also discussed. Finally, this chapter provides some useful hints
for researchers new to this field.
Chapter 3 discusses the relatively recent application of genomic methodologies
to the study of marine organisms at the population level. The chapter looks both at
studies at the DNA level, which address questions such as measuring biodiversity,
mapping species boundaries and estimating drift in populations, and at the RNA
level, which provides information about adaptation to particular habitats via selective processes or modifications in gene expression. Information about the capacity
Preface
approaches to a much broader range of species but has also opened up new fields
of genomics such as metagenomics and metatranscriptomics in which sequencing
methodologies are used in new and innovative ways. Marine biology has been at the
forefront of many of these new applications.
Genomic approaches are now being applied to a diverse catalogue of questions
in marine biology. These include exploiting the enormous phylogenetic diversity
of marine organisms to explore the evolution of developmental processes, characterising the marine ecosystems that play key roles in global geochemical cycles,
searching for novel biomolecules and understanding ecological interactions within
important marine ecosystems. Several of these domains have become increasingly
important in the context of global climate change.
The objective of this book is to provide an overview of recent advances in the
application of genomic approaches in the domain of marine biology. Each chapter covers a specific field, providing an introduction to that area and detailing how
genomic approaches have been adapted to the specific requirements of that field of
research. The final chapter discusses some practical questions of applying genomic
techniques, particularly in terms of the bioinformatic challenges. Many of these
fields of research addressed by individual chapters in this book will be covered in
further detail by complete volumes within the Advances in Marine Genomics book
series.
The first chapter looks at how genomic techniques are being used to explore and
monitor biodiversity in the marine environment. Consideration of biodiversity is of
particular interest in the light of accelerating climate change, which is increasingly
affecting many key marine ecosystems. The chapter emphasises how biodiversity
in the oceans is structured into ecosystems and the importance of interactions
between different hierarchical levels within these ecosystems. Genomic approaches
are described for the investigation of diversity at several different levels: taxonomic,
genetic and functional.
Chapter 2 looks at the rapidly evolving field of metagenomics or environmental
sequencing in which sequencing analysis is applied to communities of several (or
many) species rather than single, isolated organisms. The emergence of metagenomics as a discipline is described, with particular reference to the important
role played by marine ecosystems. The chapter emphasises the innovative nature
of metagenomic approaches, particularly with respect to providing global views
of ecosystems and as a means to describe species that cannot be cultivated in
the laboratory. Recently developed approaches such as metatranscriptomics and
metaproteomics are also discussed. Finally, this chapter provides some useful hints
for researchers new to this field.
Chapter 3 discusses the relatively recent application of genomic methodologies
to the study of marine organisms at the population level. The chapter looks both at
studies at the DNA level, which address questions such as measuring biodiversity,
mapping species boundaries and estimating drift in populations, and at the RNA
level, which provides information about adaptation to particular habitats via selective processes or modifications in gene expression. Information about the capacity