Monitoring data are invaluable. For instance, the data we would need to study how the microbial biogeography in the North Sea has changed during the past century as fishing effort became prevalent, does not exist. If only we could go back in time! Further, research questions that are not asked today may become important in the future. But also questions that we already have today, but cannot answer, may be resolved with future technology. Bio-archives are depositories where raw (biological) sampling material such as marine sediment and the associated microbes are stored. Such archives are an investment in the future, and can be used to look back in time and study longer term processes.

Based on our multi-year benthic microbial sampling in MFG Nordsee, we compiled an elaborate bio-archive, wherein raw sediment samples are preserved at -80°C. The samples are suitable for DNA extraction to characterize microbial communities, or for for other purposes. The bio-archive is hosted at the ICBM and contains already over 2500 mini-cores from nearly 500 stations, collected over 6 consecutive years (2019-2024). Many of these stations have been sampled over multiple years.