EMBLtrec
@embltrec.bsky.social
An expedition to study coastal ecosystems and their response to the environment, from molecules to communities
From the TREC Blog "My father passed away while I was working on TREC. Doing the work with others gave me the strength to carry on until I could return home to be with my family. It was a very sad time, but showed me how important this project & these people had become"
www.embl.org/about/info/t...
www.embl.org/about/info/t...
July 25, 2025 at 9:08 AM
From the TREC Blog "My father passed away while I was working on TREC. Doing the work with others gave me the strength to carry on until I could return home to be with my family. It was a very sad time, but showed me how important this project & these people had become"
www.embl.org/about/info/t...
www.embl.org/about/info/t...
Check out this great article on the Curiosity microscope, used by @embl.org & BIOcean5D to empower teachers to share excitement of plankton discovery with their students! "The Curiosity microscope is fantastic because it will enable us to bring the classroom to the sampling site”
bit.ly/3UfeEoz
bit.ly/3UfeEoz
July 17, 2025 at 9:58 AM
Check out this great article on the Curiosity microscope, used by @embl.org & BIOcean5D to empower teachers to share excitement of plankton discovery with their students! "The Curiosity microscope is fantastic because it will enable us to bring the classroom to the sampling site”
bit.ly/3UfeEoz
bit.ly/3UfeEoz
“TREC has been one of the best experiences of my life," he added. "Working closely with colleagues from EMBL and other partners, sharing responsibility, facing challenges together, all created strong bonds. It’s those human connections I made during TREC that I’ll remember most."
July 1, 2025 at 12:43 PM
“TREC has been one of the best experiences of my life," he added. "Working closely with colleagues from EMBL and other partners, sharing responsibility, facing challenges together, all created strong bonds. It’s those human connections I made during TREC that I’ll remember most."
“What makes TREC unique is that we’re not studying one compartment in isolation. By linking data from water, sediment, and land, we can explore how these systems interact,” said Raffaele in the interview.
July 1, 2025 at 12:43 PM
“What makes TREC unique is that we’re not studying one compartment in isolation. By linking data from water, sediment, and land, we can explore how these systems interact,” said Raffaele in the interview.
During the TREC expedition, scientists collected two types of sediment samples: surface sediments, which give insights into present-day conditions, and deeper paleocores – long cylinders of sediment that record environmental changes going back decades or even centuries.
July 1, 2025 at 12:43 PM
During the TREC expedition, scientists collected two types of sediment samples: surface sediments, which give insights into present-day conditions, and deeper paleocores – long cylinders of sediment that record environmental changes going back decades or even centuries.
One of the memories of TREC Raffaele recalls is an early sketch he did with Paola Bertucci, TREC’s Head of EMBL Scientific Expeditions, that turned out to be a first draft of TREC’s sampling strategy: “It marked the concrete beginning of our pan-compartment TREC sampling strategy” he said.
July 1, 2025 at 12:43 PM
One of the memories of TREC Raffaele recalls is an early sketch he did with Paola Bertucci, TREC’s Head of EMBL Scientific Expeditions, that turned out to be a first draft of TREC’s sampling strategy: “It marked the concrete beginning of our pan-compartment TREC sampling strategy” he said.
Some answers lie in ocean water, but because it changes rapidly with tides and currents, and plankton records rarely go back more than a few decades, studying the water alone doesn’t provide the full picture. That’s where sediments – and the sediment compartment – come in.
July 1, 2025 at 12:43 PM
Some answers lie in ocean water, but because it changes rapidly with tides and currents, and plankton records rarely go back more than a few decades, studying the water alone doesn’t provide the full picture. That’s where sediments – and the sediment compartment – come in.
In our interview, Raffaele points out that few stretches of Europe’s coastline remain untouched by human activity – but in many cases, we don’t actually know what these ecosystems were like before those impacts began
July 1, 2025 at 12:43 PM
In our interview, Raffaele points out that few stretches of Europe’s coastline remain untouched by human activity – but in many cases, we don’t actually know what these ecosystems were like before those impacts began
Raffaele is a marine ecologist whose research focuses on coastal environmental genomics and harmful algal blooms. He is based at the French Institute for Ocean Science @ifremer.bsky.social in Brest, France
July 1, 2025 at 12:43 PM
Raffaele is a marine ecologist whose research focuses on coastal environmental genomics and harmful algal blooms. He is based at the French Institute for Ocean Science @ifremer.bsky.social in Brest, France
Coastal sediments lining Europe’s shores hold a hidden archive of microbial biodiversity, past & present. As part of the TREC expedition, scientists collected samples from coastal sites across the continent. Meet Raffaele Siano, who leads TREC's work on coastal sediments www.embl.org/about/info/t...
July 1, 2025 at 12:43 PM
Coastal sediments lining Europe’s shores hold a hidden archive of microbial biodiversity, past & present. As part of the TREC expedition, scientists collected samples from coastal sites across the continent. Meet Raffaele Siano, who leads TREC's work on coastal sediments www.embl.org/about/info/t...
Global ocean temperatures 1850-2024. Temperature is known to play a crucial role in shaping the microbial communities TREC aims to learn much more about #showyourstripes showyourstripes.info
June 21, 2025 at 10:55 AM
Global ocean temperatures 1850-2024. Temperature is known to play a crucial role in shaping the microbial communities TREC aims to learn much more about #showyourstripes showyourstripes.info
TREC teams aboard the @fondationtaraocean.bsky.social @taraoceans-science.bsky.social schooner sampled ocean waters off the coast in parallel with those taken on land. Coordinated methods across biomes allow scientists to build knowledge not just for wonder, but to help sustain what sustains us
June 8, 2025 at 10:20 AM
TREC teams aboard the @fondationtaraocean.bsky.social @taraoceans-science.bsky.social schooner sampled ocean waters off the coast in parallel with those taken on land. Coordinated methods across biomes allow scientists to build knowledge not just for wonder, but to help sustain what sustains us
Shallow coastal zones are among the most dynamic and diverse habitats on Earth. As part of TREC’s pan-biome approach, scientists are studying their microbial life to understand how these ecosystems contribute to aspects such as carbon cycling, food webs, and coastal resilience
June 8, 2025 at 10:20 AM
Shallow coastal zones are among the most dynamic and diverse habitats on Earth. As part of TREC’s pan-biome approach, scientists are studying their microbial life to understand how these ecosystems contribute to aspects such as carbon cycling, food webs, and coastal resilience
Coastal sediments are both habitat and archive – preserving DNA, pollutants & particles from land and sea over time. TREC scientists sampled sediments along Europe’s coastlines, sometimes up to a meter deep, to study biodiversity & understand how ecosystems changed over decades or even centuries
June 8, 2025 at 10:20 AM
Coastal sediments are both habitat and archive – preserving DNA, pollutants & particles from land and sea over time. TREC scientists sampled sediments along Europe’s coastlines, sometimes up to a meter deep, to study biodiversity & understand how ecosystems changed over decades or even centuries
Soil may seem distant from the ocean, but it plays a vital role in coastal and ocean ecosystem health. TREC sampled soils along Europe’s shores, enabling studies of how land use – from forests to farms to cities – affects microbial life, nutrient cycles, and resilience across land-sea connections
June 8, 2025 at 10:20 AM
Soil may seem distant from the ocean, but it plays a vital role in coastal and ocean ecosystem health. TREC sampled soils along Europe’s shores, enabling studies of how land use – from forests to farms to cities – affects microbial life, nutrient cycles, and resilience across land-sea connections
TREC’s mobile labs visited 44 sites in 21 countries, with scientists collecting tens of thousands of samples from soil, sediment, shallow water & ocean. With partners & volunteers, this effort is now fuelling research into microbial life, pollutants, biodiversity, evolution, and ecosystem change
June 8, 2025 at 10:20 AM
TREC’s mobile labs visited 44 sites in 21 countries, with scientists collecting tens of thousands of samples from soil, sediment, shallow water & ocean. With partners & volunteers, this effort is now fuelling research into microbial life, pollutants, biodiversity, evolution, and ecosystem change
It's #WorldOceanDay – this year’s theme is: ‘Wonder: sustain what sustains us’. One key force sustaining ocean life is microbes. With @embl.org TREC we explored this hidden universe along Europe's coasts, across water, sediment and soil to see how microbial life connects across ecosystems and biomes
June 8, 2025 at 10:20 AM
It's #WorldOceanDay – this year’s theme is: ‘Wonder: sustain what sustains us’. One key force sustaining ocean life is microbes. With @embl.org TREC we explored this hidden universe along Europe's coasts, across water, sediment and soil to see how microbial life connects across ecosystems and biomes
Tomorrow, Wed 4 June, TREC's @floravincent.bsky.social @embl.org will speak at DAI Heidelberg, Germany, on the world of plankton and its importance for the future of our planet. Event includes hands-on activities, crafting, quiz & more: see dai-heidelberg.de/en/events/oc... #WorldOceanDay #ocean
June 3, 2025 at 10:41 AM
Tomorrow, Wed 4 June, TREC's @floravincent.bsky.social @embl.org will speak at DAI Heidelberg, Germany, on the world of plankton and its importance for the future of our planet. Event includes hands-on activities, crafting, quiz & more: see dai-heidelberg.de/en/events/oc... #WorldOceanDay #ocean
The Arctic is threatened by global heating and pollution: @taraoceans-science.bsky.social polar station will both lock into ice and float on water to support researchers in understanding these threats. TREC's Thomas Haize attended the vessel's inauguration in Lorient and shared these great pics!
April 30, 2025 at 12:21 PM
The Arctic is threatened by global heating and pollution: @taraoceans-science.bsky.social polar station will both lock into ice and float on water to support researchers in understanding these threats. TREC's Thomas Haize attended the vessel's inauguration in Lorient and shared these great pics!
Two years ago, TREC began in Roscoff. Sampling at 120+ sites across Europe was supported by @embl.org custom-built mobile lab and @taraoceans-science.bsky.social schooner, enabling on-site processing across land and sea. Now this work continues, with 100s of projects initiated 📸 Kinga Lubowiecka
April 10, 2025 at 7:12 AM
Two years ago, TREC began in Roscoff. Sampling at 120+ sites across Europe was supported by @embl.org custom-built mobile lab and @taraoceans-science.bsky.social schooner, enabling on-site processing across land and sea. Now this work continues, with 100s of projects initiated 📸 Kinga Lubowiecka
TREC is now on Bluesky! The expedition has gathered samples all along Europe’s coasts – now scientists are exploring what the data tell us. We’ll be sharing insights into this amazing ongoing work! Spread the word! @embl.org @taraoceans-science.bsky.social @embrc-eu.bsky.social 📸Massimo Del Prete
April 9, 2025 at 9:24 AM
TREC is now on Bluesky! The expedition has gathered samples all along Europe’s coasts – now scientists are exploring what the data tell us. We’ll be sharing insights into this amazing ongoing work! Spread the word! @embl.org @taraoceans-science.bsky.social @embrc-eu.bsky.social 📸Massimo Del Prete