Kristina M. Fontanez
Papers
1
Total Citations
94
H-Index
1
About
Kristina M. Fontanez is a microbial oceanographer whose research illuminates the hidden lives of plankton and their viral adversaries in the dynamic coastal ocean. Her most-cited work, a 2019 study in *The ISME Journal*, deployed an innovative robotic sampler to capture the diel transcriptional rhythms of a California Current plankton microbiome. Over 2.6 days, Fontanez and her team revealed how these microbial communities simultaneously respond to light, low iron, and persistent viral infection—a feat impossible with traditional shipboard sampling. This high-resolution, in situ approach has garnered 94 citations, underscoring its impact on understanding how phytoplankton drive carbon cycling and food web dynamics. Fontanez’s contributions bridge molecular biology and oceanography, offering a real-time window into the metabolic choreography that sustains marine ecosystems. Her work is a cornerstone for researchers probing the resilience of ocean microbes under environmental stress, and it exemplifies the power of autonomous technology in unlocking the ocean’s microbial secrets.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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