Polar night ecology of pico- and nanoflagellates

The polar night period is considered as a period of limited biologic activity. However, recent studies have identified an assemblage of heterotrophic protists (Meshram et al. in prep), and a similar level of bacterial production as seen throughout the yea r (Seuthe et al. 2011/12). The aim of the project is to identify the development of the microbial communities throughout the polar night. Seasonal sampling will be performed in Adventfjorden, and polar night samples will be taken from additional fjords i n Svalbard.