Microbial Observatory at the San Pedro Ocean Time Series (SPOT)
Running since 2000, the USC Microbial Observatory (MO) and the related Dimensions of Biodiversity (DOBD) projects focus on time-dependent changes in prokaryotic and unicellular eukaryotic community composition in relation to environmental parameters. These projects occur within the context of the San Pedro Ocean Time Series (SPOT), an ongoing monthly collection of oceanographic data from the San Pedro Channel, off the coast of Los Angeles. This data is publicly available and maintained by the Wrigley Institute for Environment and Sustainability.
Sampling in the San Pedro Channel
Our primary sampling site (SPOT) is located midway between Los Angeles and the USC Wrigley Marine Laboratory on Santa Catalina Island in approximately 900 m of water (33°33′N, 118°24′W). This site is visited monthly by ship for sampling at five depths.
From 2012-2014, quarterly sampling also took place at two other locations, one off the coast of Santa Catalina Island (CAT, 33°27.17’N, 118°28.51’W) and one within the Port of Los Angeles (POLA, 33°42.75’N, 118°15.55’W). These other locations help us to elucidate patterns in biodiversity related to anthropogenic impacts.
