Grant: Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

Phytoplankton are tiny cells in oceans and lakes that use light to covert carbon dioxide to living material, through photosynthesis. There are many different species of phytoplankton, each with particular characteristics and requirements for growth. We study how different species of phytoplankton interact with the changing environment, and what determines their patterns and locations of growth. We are seeking to understand why particular species are successful in particular regions, to help understand the global cycling of carbon between the atmosphere, the surface ocean where phytoplankton live, and the deep ocean, where some of the cells sink after they die. For these studies we need to measure and monitor the capacity for photosynthesis. One approach is to monitor the trace levels of fluorescent light the phytoplankton emit as a byproduct of their photosynthetic activity. Variations in fluorescence can be analyzed to infer detailed information on the photosynthetic activity. Fluorescence analyses are rapid, do not disturb the cells, and can be used to analyze even very low numbers of cells in natural communities. The fluorescence signals can be detected from space, or from individual cells. We are proposing to purchase an advanced, highly sensitive fluorometer from Satlantic, a technology company in Halifax, Nova Scotia, to study phytoplankton communities around the world, and in particular, phytoplankton in the Arctic ocean.