Inaugural lecture by Laura Villanueva: Ocean’s hidden heroes

Marine microorganisms, though tiny and often invisible, are fundamental to life on Earth. They play an essential role in regulating our climate, supporting ocean health, and even producing half of the oxygen we breathe. In her inaugural lecture, Prof. Laura Villanueva will today illuminate the hidden world of marine microbes, and highlight how they influence our planet’s complex systems in remarkable and sometimes unexpected ways.

Utrecht University will host the inaugural lecture of marine microbiologist Prof. Laura Villanueva, who also holds a research position at the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ). Her lecture, set to take place at Utrecht University, will explore the crucial role marine microbes play in Earth’s climate system.

Villanueva’s research focuses on marine microorganisms—tiny yet powerful life forms that are essential to our planet's ecosystem. Her work sheds light on their significant contributions to the global atmosphere, including their role in producing oxygen and storing carbon. As Villanueva explains, marine microbes produce around 50% of the oxygen we breathe, yet they are often overlooked due to their microscopic size. Her lecture aims to bring these unseen organisms into the spotlight.

Producing and consuming greenhouse gasses

One of the central messages of her lecture is the connection between marine microbes and climate change. Villanueva explains that certain marine microbes can generate greenhouse gases, contributing to climate change in complex ways.

On the same token, marine microbes may play their part in mitigating climate change as well, Villanueva stresses. Under the right circumstances, certain microbes eat for example methane, just as they may eat carbon dioxide or nitrous oxides that are strong greenhouse gasses too.

Changing to new conditions

While climate change is affecting oceans, marine microorganisms adapt to these new conditions. For instance, they can adapt to warmer and more acidic ocean conditions, but only to a certain extent. In theory, this may open new avenues to use marine microorganisms for mitigating the effects of climate change. However, the effect will be limited, says Villanueva.

Marine microbes are incredibly adaptive and resilient, but they can’t fix the climate challenges we’ve created

“Marine microbes are incredibly adaptive and resilient, but they can’t fix the climate challenges we’ve created, ” says Villanueva notes. She emphasizes that while they play a role in Earth’s balance, the responsibility for climate action rests with humanity.

Gaia hypothesis

In addition, Villanueva’s lecture will touch upon the Gaia hypothesis, which envisions Earth as a self-regulating system.

She finds this theory intriguing and aims to discuss how marine microbes interact with their environment, helping to sustain life on Earth while adapting to changes around them. However, she cautions against the idea that Earth’s systems, including microbes, can “save” humanity from the effects of climate change without significant human intervention.

Microbial skin

A unique aspect of Villanueva’s research is that it focusses on the so-called ‘skin’ of marine microbes—the thin outer layer that interacts with their surrounding environment. This ‘skin’ is where microbes absorb nutrients, exchange gases, and release byproducts, making it a critical interface between the microorganisms and their habitat.

By studying this layer, Villanueva aims to fundamentally understand how microbes interact with ocean chemistry, adapt to different environmental pressures, and ultimately impact global processes. This focus on the microbial skin offers new insights into how microbes play both reactive and active roles in the Earth’s climate system.

Our oceans are really an untapped potential of resources, that we still have not even scratched the beginning of

These fundamental insights in marine microbiology may pave routes for developing numerous applications involving microorganisms. “Our oceans are really an untapped potential of resources, that we still have not even scratched the beginning of”,  says Villanueva. “For instance, some researchers use marine microbes for developing antibiotics and anti-cancer drugs. Sea-going exploration is really needed.”

Improving education

Villanueva’s position at Utrecht University also involves enhancing the university’s bachelor curriculum of Marine Sciences. Her goal is to include more biology, bridging the gap between earth sciences and biology, a need she’s observed among students.