The potential for adaptation of current and future phytoplankton blooms in Kongsfjorden, Svalbard (RIS 10432)

The aim of my project is to investigate the potential for adaption of Arctic phytoplankton communities to the current and future changes in in temperature, carbonate chemistry and light availability. More specifically, I want to characterize intra- and interspecific diversity of Arctic diatom populations in field populations and perturbation experiments with natural assemblages. To this end, I will take samples for analysis of the species composition (light microscopy, flow cytometry, molecular techniques) during the spring bloom as well as in the pre-bloom and post-bloom phases. Similar samples will also be taken from the communities as they result from the incubation experiments under different climate change scenarios. In addition to these samples, I will also isolate strains from a diatom species dominating the spring bloom as well as in the incubation experiments. These will, together with DNA samples collected from the mixed communities, be used to study the species intra-specific plasticity by means of microsatellites.