APRIL 14
SCIENTIFIC WORKS
Phytoplankton experiments by our PhD student Sneha
As part of her PhD, Sneha studies how seasonal changes and temperature affect phytoplankton. Each season, she collects samples from Kongsfjorden and incubates them in the lab at four different temperatures. She monitors key biological functions like photosynthesis and respiration to see how they change over the seasons. Each experiment lasts around two weeks, with multiple measurements at different stages to ensure the phytoplankton remain healthy. So far, she has completed autumn and winter experiments.
In these photos you see the autumn and winter sample collection from the mid-fjord KB3 site – our weekly monitoring location. The samples are taken with niskin bottles and kept shielded from light so as not to change the in-situ photosynthetic response. Around 60L of water are collected and processed to have three biological replicates at four different temperatures.
Phytoplankton are vital for the ocean’s health and the Earth’s climate. Changes in the ecophysiology of these organisms significantly affect the entire ocean ecosystem and how much carbon dioxide the ocean absorbs. Because the Arctic is warming much faster than the rest of the world, it’s crucial to understand how these ocean creatures are affected by seasonal changes.
