The role of pigments in phytoplankton biogeography and evolution
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Essex
Department Name: Biological Sciences
Abstract
The ocean is home to tiny single celled plants, called phytoplankton, which form the base of the marine food chain. Despite their tiny size, the ocean's phytoplankton perform as much photosynthesis in a year as all the plants on land. There are thousands of different species of phytoplankton and each have unique characteristics, or traits, that mean they are particularly well suited to living in certain ocean conditions. It is important to understand why different phytoplankton species flourish in some parts of the ocean and not others. Some species are particularly important for sustaining fish stocks, and some are toxic to marine mammals and even humans. Also, since each species has different properties that affect how fast it grows and how likely it is to sink, they can have a different impact on the amount of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere and locked up in the deep ocean. An improved understanding of the distribution of phytoplankton species in the ocean will therefore enable us to predict how marine ecosystems might change in the future, and ultimately how phytoplankton may impact climate change. Unlike land plants, phytoplankton are obviously never short of water, but they often have to compete with one another for nutrients and light to survive. Each species contains a unique combination of pigments, which absorb the light needed for photosynthesis. The pigments absorb different colours, or wavelengths, of light. Since the wavelengths of available light vary throughout the oceans, phytoplankton species may be particularly well-suited to particular regions because of the wavelengths of light they can absorb. Pigments also need to be 'built' by the phytoplankton as they grow and each type of pigment requires a different amount of resources including carbon and nutrients (such a nitrogen and iron). Subsequently the kinds of pigments contained within different phytoplankton species not only influence the amount of light that they can absorb, but also the amount of nutrients they need to grow. In this study, I will develop and use mathematical models to explore how the pigment combinations of different phytoplankton species affect where they grow in the ocean. In addition to increasing our understanding of the factors influencing phytoplankton distributions, the models will enable us to further investigate interactions between ocean biology and global change.
People |
ORCID iD |
Anna Hickman (Principal Investigator) |
Description | Phytoplankton contain pigments in order to absorb light for photosynthesis. Current findings of this NERC fellowship are an enhanced understanding of how the types of pigments contained in phytoplankton species influence species distributions in the ocean. This has been done using a combination of numerical modelling and experimental approaches. In addition, the role of light as a control on shelf sea phytoplankton primary production has been clearly demonstrated. A number of publications are in preparation. |
Exploitation Route | Knowledge of, and the ability to model, marine ecosystems and their role in global biogeochemical cycles is important to climate modellers, fisheries managers and policymakers. This research will be useful for understanding phytoplankton species distributions in the ocean. It could be exploited by fisheries managers, ecologists, biogeochemists, and earth system and climate modellers. |
Sectors | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Environment |
URL | http://www.southampton.ac.uk/oes/research/staff/ah2r11.page |
Description | publications have been cited in future research articles, results and findings used in university education, public outreach has raised awareness of marine science and role of scientists |
Sector | Education |
Impact Types | Cultural,Societal |
Description | ESA SEOM Ocean Colour: Pools of Carbon in the Ocean |
Amount | € 250,000 (EUR) |
Organisation | European Space Agency |
Sector | Public |
Country | France |
Start | 04/2015 |
End | 04/2017 |
Description | MIT Darwin Project Group |
Organisation | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Department | Department of Earth Atmospheric and Planetary Science |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Collaboration, planned experiments, conducted scientific experiments, discussed results, contributed to co-authored conference presentations and peer-reviewed publications. |
Collaborator Contribution | Collaboration, planned experiments, conducted scientific experiments, discussed results, contributed to co-authored conference presentations and peer-reviewed publications. |
Impact | Peer-reviewed publications: 1) https://doi.org/10.3354/meps08588 2) doi:10.5194/bg-12-4447-2015 3) doi:10.1002/2015GB005273 A number of Conference Presentations. Collaboration developed into Research Partnership on European Space Agency funded grant. |
Start Year | 2008 |