TITLE: Role of macro-zooplankton for the global carbon cycle
PhD project of Róisín MoriartySUPERVISOR & CO-SUPERVISORS
Andrew Hirst (BAS)
Corinne Le Quéré (UEA and BAS)
Erik Buitenhuis (UEA and BAS)
Eugene Murphy (BAS)
PhD held at the British Antarctic Survey (BAS)
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The oceans absorb one quarter of the fossil fuel CO2 emitted to the atmosphere every year. Will this CO2 sink continue in the future? To answer this question, we need to understand the factors that control the transport of CO2 from the surface to the deep ocean. The vertical transport of carbon under the action of macrozooplankton is one control of the natural carbon cycle. However, little is know about its influence on the carbon cycle and about its vulnerability under a different climate or under the increasing pressure of fisheries.
Although a substantial amount of data on zooplankton rates, biomass, and behavior exist, this data has not been synthesized in a way that allows us to address global problems. This studentship would use a combined approach of data analysis and modelling to assess the impact of macrozooplankton (large copepods, salps and krill) for global biogeochemical cycles, with emphasis on the Southern Ocean. The student would synthesize available data and derive functional relationships between macrozooplankton biomass, temperature, food availability, and grazing rate. The next step would be to incorporate these relationships in an existing global biogeochemistry model (the Dynamic Green Ocean Model), and to explore the role of macro-zooplankton for biogeochemistry, its interannual variability, and sensitivity to climate change. Links to higher trophic levels and fisheries can also be done.
The work will be undertaken in the framework of the Dynamic Green Ocean Project, a highly dynamic and pluri-disciplinary project aimed at developing a community model of ocean biogeochemistry for applications to Earth system problems.
This project is funded by Fellowships in Antarctic Air-Sea-Ice Science: FAASIS
It is part of the Marie Curie Early Stage Training Network: a joint venture of the School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia and the British Antarctic Survey.