The oceanology research laboratory MIO was created by the merger on 01/01/2012 of the COM (Marseille Oceanology Center itself composed of the LOPB, the LMGEM and part of the DIMAR), the LMBEC (Marseille-IRD UMR in Microbiology) and the LSEET (CNRS UMR University of Toulon in Physical Oceanography).
The MIO is a component of the Observatory of Sciences of the Universe (OSU) Institut Pythéas with the LAM, CEREGE, IMBE, LPED and RECOVER and the UMS Phyteas. It is a partner of the Labex OT-Med.
The research objectives of MIO are to better understand the ocean system and its evolution in response to global change. It is a centre of expertise in marine biology, ecology, biodiversity, microbiology, fisheries, physics, chemistry, biogeochemistry and sedimentology. Its frameworks are the world ocean, its interfaces with the continent, the atmosphere and the sediment.
Overall, the research themes focus on oceanic and atmospheric circulation, the understanding of marine ecosystems and biodiversity from bacteria to fish, biological functioning in extreme environments and ocean pollution.
The 5 research teams of the laboratory work on oceanic circulation, air-sea transfer of elements, the cycle of natural and anthropogenic elements in the ocean and in the food web, the dynamics of the biological pump, remineralisation in aerobic/anaerobic/extreme conditions, the functioning of benthic and pelagic ecosystems, the functional biodiversity of macro and microorganisms, bioremediation and bioenergies.
