The role of fluid dynamics in microbial ecology

Bacterial motility, symbioses, and marine nutrient cycling unfold at the scale of individual microbes, and are inherently dynamic. In this talk, I will discuss the role that fluid flows play in shaping the ecology of microbes, both in the open ocean as well as around coral surfaces. In each case, I will demonstrate how iteratively combining video-microscopy, image processing and mathematical modelling can resolve features of microbial lifestyles that are difficult or impossible to see otherwise, and show how single-cell measurements can be connected to bulk processes at the population-level.