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H2020Individual fellowship2019–2022

NannoChem · Using Nannofossil Chemistry to constrain the cellular response of marine phytoplankton to changing carbon dioxide concentrations in the surface ocean

Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Duration
2019-09-01 → 2022-11-03
EU contribution
€183,455
Participants
1
Scheme
MSCA-IF

Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.

Results in brief

Using Nannofossil Chemistry to constrain the cellular response of marine phytoplankton to changing carbon dioxide concentrations in the surface ocean

The main aim of the project NannoChem was to determine if and how long-term changes in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) impacted the processes of calcification and photosynthesis within coccolithophores, a key group of marine phytoplanktonic algae. Some studies have suggested that the availability of dissolved CO2 in the surface ocean is a main control on coccolithophore cell size, calcification rate and evolution. If true, this has major implications for primary production in future high CO2 oceans. This is especially relevant nowadays considering the current influx of anthropogenic CO2 into the surface ocean, which is already causing a substantial perturbations to this chemistry and related parameters such as pH. NannoChem aimed to test this main hypothesis by generating a series of multi-proxy records of coccolithophore chemistry, cell size and calcification over a long period of time: the past 10 million years. These records came from a late Miocene to modern sedimentary archive of high quality, recovered from the eastern equatorial Indian Ocean during the International Ocean Discovery Program Expedition 363 (Oct-Dec 2016; West Pacific Warm Pool): Site U1482, located offshore Australia. The main aim of this this inter-disciplinary project (with impact on marine ecology and biology, as well as paleoclimate communities) was met by completion of the three specific Research Objectives (ROs) initially proposed. RO1. To test whether the current single-site record of late Miocene to modern coccolith vital effects is representative of, and driven by, a global change in atmospheric CO2. RO2. To test whether declining ocean [CO2] reduces coccolithophore calcification. RO3. To test the hypothesis that changes in growth conditions have little effect on coccolith vital effects.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union

Project objective

NannoChem aims to determine whether long-term changes in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) impact the coupled processes of photosynthesis and calcification within the coccolithophores, a key group of marine phytoplankton. Recent studies proposed that the availability of dissolved phase CO2 in the surface ocean is a primary control on coccolithophore cell size, calcification rates and evolution. If true, this has major implications for primary production in future high CO2 oceans. Here we propose to test these hypotheses by generating a unique set of multi-proxy records of coccolithophore chemistry, cell size and calcification over the past 10 million years. These records will come from an exceptional new late Miocene to modern sedimentary archive of unprecedented quality, recovered from the eastern equatorial Indian Ocean during the International Ocean Discovery Program Expedition 363 (Oct-Dec 2016; West Pacific Warm Pool). NannoChem will go beyond existing studies, and generate a new state-of-the-art, by: 1) generating the first direct record of coccolithophore carbon isotopic vital effects by comparison with planktonic foraminiferal estimates of the isotopic composition of surface ocean dissolved phase carbon; 2) generating the first long-term records of coccolithophore calcification across all main placolith-forming families; 3) constraining other potential controls on coccolithophore vital effects by generating paired records of cell growth conditions; and 4) working with Expedition 363 scientists to constrain the impact of long-term changes in cell physiology on organic biomarker (alkenone) estimates of Neogene atmospheric CO2 concentrations. NannoChem will deliver exceptional training and three-way knowledge transfer between the Experienced Researcher, the Host and Secondment Partner (Prof. Beaufort, CEREGE). This unique combination of specific skills and expertise is required to deliver NannoChem's ambitious and important research objectives.

Original text from CORDIS.

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Data: CORDIS, © European Union