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Unravelling the Nitrogen Fixation-Primary Production Feedback Loop: Implications for Carbon Cycling and Oceanic Health

Project description

Understanding the impact of diazotrophs on oceanic nitrogen production

In oceanic environments, primary producers play a crucial role in capturing and converting excess carbon dioxide into organic particles. However, this process can lead to oxygen depletion, as the respiration of sinking organic matter results in the deoxygenation of bottom waters. Specialised microbes called diazotrophs are thought to be capable of nitrogen fixation, producing a large percentage of ocean nitrogen. Supported by Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA), the NIPROFEED project aims to explore the hypothesis that diazotrophs can amplify particle formation and initiate a positive feedback loop that affects carbon export and oxygen levels. The project’s enhanced understanding of marine science will contribute to EU sustainability goals.

Objective

The project ‘NIPROFEED’ delves into the vital interplay between primary producers, nitrogen fixation, and particle dynamics in aquatic ecosystems. Primary producers play a crucial role in capturing roughly one third of excess carbon dioxide and converting it into organic particles, central to the ocean's biological pump. This process, however, contributes to oxygen depletion as sinking particles lead to organic matter respiration and subsequent deoxygenation of bottom waters. Diazotrophs, specialised microbes capable of nitrogen fixation, provide a significant portion of nitrogen input into oceans, supporting primary production. NIPROFEED introduces the hypothesis that diazotrophs supplying nitrogen to primary producers can amplify particle formation, initiating a positive feedback loop that impacts carbon export and oxygen levels. To explore this feedback loop, NIPROFEED will employ cutting-edge techniques, including high-throughput sequencing, single-cell rate measurements and biogeochemical modelling. This will unravel the composition and functional role of free-living and particle-bound diazotrophs, shedding light on their contribution to nitrogen/carbon fixation. By implementing these parameters into an integrated model the intricate relationship between nitrogen fixation and primary productivity will be investigated. Addressing this hypothesis, NIPROFEED aspires not only contribute significantly to scientific advancements in the field of marine science but also aligns with EU sustainability goals by shedding light on climate change impacts on our ocean.

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Topic(s)

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Funding Scheme

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HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships

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Call for proposal

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(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2023-PF-01

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Coordinator

LINNEUNIVERSITETET
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 222 727,68
Address
LINNAEUS UNIVERSITY
35195 Vaxjo
Sweden

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Region
Södra Sverige Småland med öarna Kalmar län
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost

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