Southern Ocean Phytoplankton Adaptation
to Mimicked Future Changes in Light and
Iron Availability
SOPA
How did the research
collaboration got started?
SA: Southern Ocean
biogeochemistry and
phytoplankton limitation
( CO2 uptake)
Norway: Molecular
photosynthesis and gene
regulation of
biogeochemical cycles
incl. carbon ( CO2
uptake)
2
Motivation
Considering it´s role in marine environment
- research on diatoms have been limited.
New methods have open up for a new
type of experiments on marine algae. The
fundamentals being:
•Functional genomics
• Sequencing/Transcriptomics/Metabol
omics/Proteomics..
• Live molecular imaging
•Selection using mating (genetics)
•Functional analyses of genes/proteins
Detailed analyses/modelling of
processes/pathways/systems
Algae have major roles in societal challenges as:
FOOD
HEALTH
CLIMATE
INDUSTRY
ENERGY
January 2014, SA Agulhas II
5
Objectives
 2 major aims:
adaptation to present day conditions &
mimicked future changes
molecular bases of photosynthetic efficiency
and carbon fixation
  crucial for predicting consequences of
manmade interventions
6
Contribution to increase global
understanding
Role in climate mitigation:
 CO2 uptake by phytoplankton  final burial of carbon in the
ocean sediment  significant reduction of CO2 in the
atmosphere.
 crucial role of Southern Ocean also shown for pre-industrial
climatic changes. Models for future climate changes partly
rely on understanding of future productivity changes.
Renewable energy potential / potential commercial utilization:
 phytoplankton = source for renewable, carbon-neutral fuels
 requires knowledge about response to environmental
conditions
7
Communication to policymakers and interested public
 visits to local SA schools
 blog on research activities
 concerted activities for the promotion of
science (e.g. Researchers' night; Biology trail at
NTNU)
 newspapers, radio, TV, science-related web
sites
 Participation at policy-making meetings
 Sequence data to public repositories
8
Recruiting female researchers & scholars
from historically disadvantaged groups
 female researcher as PI, black
female MSc and prospective
black female PhD student;
application for black female
Postdoc
 co-PI Dr. Mtshali is young black
scientist from disadvantaged
background. Co-PI Prof
Roychoudhury is Indian male
 effort to recruit 50% black and
50% white students (males and
females) in SA.
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Ocean
space to
space