The podcast episodes cover various aspects of Microbial Ecology, particularly the interactions between viruses and marine microbes like bacteria and phytoplankton, and how these interactions influence the ocean's carbon cycle and potentially impact climate change.

For example, episode "Deep Dive: Could ocean viruses be used for carbon capture?" discusses how viruses that infect marine microbes can influence their metabolism and carbon cycling, and the potential to harness this for carbon capture. Similarly, episode "Whale speak, nature's opera & tidal marshes (rebroadcast)" touches on the role of microbes in processes like decomposition and methane production within marsh ecosystems, and how this impacts carbon cycling and greenhouse gas emissions.

Microbial Ecology is a critical field of study for understanding the complex interplay between microorganisms, ecosystems, and global processes like the carbon cycle and climate change.