In project area A “Ecology and Evolution” the Roseobacter clade is investigated at the community and population level in various marine ecosystems in the water column and in sediments, applying culture-dependent and -independent (metagenomic and metatranscriptomic) methods.
Important questions address the diversity and biogeochemical role, function and activity of key players of this clade and their genome organisation. These questions can only be addressed and answered on the basis of a profound knowledge of the taxonomy, phylogenomics and evolutionary relationships and the core- and pan-genome of this clade. Consequently, the latter points will be addressed as well in this project area.