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DAVID
KARL (2001)
Dr.
Karl, the twenty-fourth recipient of the A. G. Huntsman Award, is a
biological oceanographer who brings a deep understanding of biochemistry,
microbiology and genomics to the study of ocean ecosystems and global
processes. He has played a leading role in the development of innovative
methods for marine microbiology and nutrient chemistry. He has examined in
detail the microbially-mediated transformations and physical supply
mechanisms of major plant nutrients in the ocean. His work has revealed
the existence and importance of new classes of organisms in the sea,
notably the marine archaea found in the mesopelagic region. He was the
leader of a groundbreaking study of Antarctic marine ecosystem processes,
and currently leads the Pacific Joint Global Ocean Flux Study (JGOFS)
program which is yielding significant new insights into understanding the
global carbon cycle and global warming. He has spearheaded efforts to
describe how variability in climate associated with El Niño and other
large-scale phenomena has led to fundamental changes in the ecosystem of
the central Pacific Ocean. He has also studied microbial processes in a
number of extreme environments including the Black Sea, Lake Vostok
(Antarctica) and deep-sea hydrothermal vents. Dr. Karl has led a large
number of productive research teams comprised of collaborators, staff and
especially students, and has played an important role in training the next
generation of scientists. He has also been extremely generous with his
time in support of the broader international oceanographic community
through providing advice, acting as a reviewer, and serving on key
committees. His research output has been outstanding, and he has forever
changed our perspective on life in the sea.
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