Project description
Understanding the cryosphere’s impact on the Southern Ocean marine ecosystem
The melting cryosphere is a visible consequence of climate change and serves as a large source of freshwater for the Southern Ocean. The projected increase in iron and nutrient inflow to the surface waters of the Southern Ocean may have implications for primary production and carbon export. However, the impact on the marine ecosystem remains uncertain. Funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the CRYOMICS project aims to investigate how nutrients, trace metals, and carbon released by the cryosphere influence phytoplankton and sea ice algae communities in the King Håkon VII Sea within the Eastern Weddell Gyre. Through intensive sampling, biogeochemical analyses, and metagenomics, the project will explore the structure and function of microbiomes in marine ecosystems associated with the cryosphere.
Objective
The melting of the cryosphere is among the most conspicuous consequences of climate change, and a significant source of freshwater to the Southern Ocean (SO). As a crucial sink for atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2), anticipated physical changes in the Southern Ocean will bring modifications to its biogeochemical processes and role in the Earth climate. Predicted increases in iron and nutrient influx to the SO surface waters are likely to impact its primary production and contribution to biological carbon export. However, there remains uncertainty about the significance and magnitude of these projections on primary producers, with likely consequences on the rest of the marine ecosystem. CRYOMICS aims to characterise and quantify the fate of cryospheric exported bioavailable nutrients, trace metals and carbon on phytoplankton utilisation pathways with broader implication on the functioning of the biological carbon pump in the KHS. We hypothesise that biogeochemical enrichment from melting ice shelves leads to a direct positive response of the phytoplankton and sea ice algae community, enhancing its productivity and metabolic functions while favouring larger-celled species such as diatoms. Focusing primarily on the understudied Kong Håkon VII Sea (KHS) in the Eastern Weddell Gyre, along a unique cryosphere-ocean continuum, CRYOMICS combines intensive sampling, biogeochemical analyses and metagenomics to systematically understand the structure and function of microbiomes in marine ecosystems associated with the cryosphere and amidst contemporary changes. Through the support of the MSCA, this project will provide a coordinated and comprehensive dataset of this region of the Southern Ocean, shedding light on microbial interactions and their potential vulnerabilities to perturbations, a dimension currently lacking in climate models. This invaluable insight will enhance our understanding of future projections for the Southern Ocean, including its impact on Antarctic Sea ice.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology phycology
- natural sciences biological sciences ecology ecosystems
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Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
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Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
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Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
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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9296 Tromsoe
Norway
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