Seminar

Coralline algae are distributed globally within the ocean’s photic zones and play several important roles in those ecosystems. They create a more stable benthic substrate, promote the settlement of invertebrate larvae and contribute to biogeochemical cycling. However, coralline algae are under threat from anthropogenic perturbations. They are particularly vulnerable to ocean acidification as their high-Mg calcite skeletons are the most soluble form of calcium carbonate. While there have been many studies investigating the effects ocean acidification has on coralline algae, few studies have focused on the effect it has on the nitrogen cycle.  As nitrogen is an essential nutrient for photosynthetic organisms, impacts to this cycle could be deleterious to their health. To investigate this, I will travel to the University of Glasgow to conduct several experiments to determine how or if the nitrogen cycle within coralline algae is affected by global warming and ocean acidification.