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MARINFORSK-Marine ressurser og miljø

Advances in Coccolithophore research workshop

Awarded: NOK 99,999

Coccolithophores are a type of marine algae that create scales known as coccoliths out of calcium carbonate which they use to cover themselves with. These algae are globally found, and contribute towards the marine food web, as well as the cycling of carbon and other nutrients through the production and sinking of these coccoliths. The coccoliths can also be found in marine sediments, providing a 220 million year fossil record. By studying these fossils we can understand more about past and future environmental changes and how algae respond to these. In Norwegian waters, coccolithophores are regularly found, particularly during late spring and summer when blooms of Emiliania huxleyi can turn fjordic waters milky-white. Norway has played a central role in developing coccolithophore research, particularly through mesocosm experiments at the marine biological station in Bergen. In this project, we aim to host a workshop in Bergen called "Advances in Coccolithophore Research". We will bring together early-career and senior scientists working on coccolithophore research for 3-days of engaging talks and discussions. The objectives of the workshop are to share current research on coccolithophores, from the level of single cells to entire ecosystems, and provide networking opportunities between coccolithophore researchers' using a hybrid format of an in-person and digital meeting. This workshop will allow the sharing of ideas, as well as the development of future research projects to further understand the role of coccolithophores within marine ecosystems, and how climate change may impact this role into the future.

Funding scheme:

MARINFORSK-Marine ressurser og miljø