ESTABLISHING A CULTURABLE HOST/BACTERIA SYSTEM TO EXPLORE INTERACTIONS OF SOUTHERN OCEAN DIATOMS AND BACTERIA WITHIN THE PHYCOSPHERE

Marine phytoplankton and bacteria impact global biogeochemical processes, including global net primary productivity (NPP), carbon sequestration, silica sequestration, nitrogen availability, and oxygen production. In the Southern Ocean, phytoplankton growth is limited by light and the availability of micronutrients, in spite of high nitrogen concentrations. It is important to NPP and nutrient cycling that two colimiting nutrients, Fe and B vitamins, are synthesized by bacteria that are closely associated with diatoms. The goal of my research project is to isolate multiple strains of bacteria from polar diatoms, test the strains’ abilities to be genetically manipulated, and reintroduce the bacteria to the phytoplankton phycospheres. The intention is to establish basic feasibility of building a model system to explore bacteria-diatom and bacteria-bacteria interactions and to further understand how these interactions impact NPP in the Southern Ocean.Master of Scienc