One major aim of the TREC expedition is to reach a new and comprehensive understanding of coastal ecosystems and their responses to changing environments at the molecular and mechanistic levels. Through the mechanistic understanding of ecosystems and how they are changing, we can help provide new knowledge and discoveries, as well as diagnostic tools, preventative measures, and potential solutions to reverse detrimental changes in the future.

Specific research goals:

• Identification of key factors (natural and man-made) driving coastal community composition
• Understanding molecular mechanisms of phenotypic plasticity and adaptation at species and community levels
• Tracking gene flux between soil and ocean species via horizontal gene transfer or species assimilation, both regionally and globally
• Elucidating mechanisms of co-adaptation across species and communities
• A better definition of coastal ecosystems biodiversity, causes of biodiversity loss, and its impact
• Unravelling new molecular mechanisms from coastal species and symbionts

TREC projects are highly collaborative, involving research groups at EMBL and all collaborating institutes. See below the expanding TREC projects portfolio with sub-projects submitted by the growing network of collaborators.