PhD candidate in Marine Microbiology

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Ocean life contributes ~50% to global primary production and understanding implications of global change for the microbial primary producers at the base of the food web is critically important to predict consequences for global carbon cycling. While the photosynthetic microbes collectively referred to as phytoplankton, are traditionally regarded as purely photosynthetic, many of them can also feed on other microbes. These so-called mixotrophs thus combine a ‘plant-like’ with an ‘animal-like’ nutrition, and the relative importance of these two processes to their growth may shift in response to environmental conditions and affect the net impact of mixotrophs on carbon cycling. This project will assess the responses of mixotrophs to future ocean conditions including warming and ocean acidification.

In this project you will perform experiments with cultured marine mixotrophs that differ in their nutritional strategies and assess their response to ocean warming and acidification. Experiments will quantify changes in rates of growth, photosynthesis and ingestion, and characterize transcriptional responses that underly physiological reactions. The ecological consequences of physiological responses to future ocean conditions will be assessed in competition experiments. While this project is mainly focused on laboratory experiments, you will also have the opportunity to participate in oceanographic research cruises.

What are you going to do?

• Perform controlled laboratory experiments (with microalgal cultures);
• participate in fieldwork (research cruises);
• analyze data from laboratory and field experiments;
• publish your results in peer-reviewed scientific journals;
• present your research at conferences and meetings;
• write a thesis;
• take part in teaching efforts, including assisting in practical courses and supervision of bachelor and master students;
• follow an educational training;
• collaborate with other scientists from the University of Amsterdam.

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