Viral epidemic of marine plankton and its influence on the ocean carbon cycle

RACAULT_UENV25ARIES Collaboration with Schmidt Sciences, Virtual Earth System Research Institute (VESRI), CALIPSO project

Viral epidemic of marine plankton and its influence on the ocean carbon cycle

RACAULT_UENV25ARIES Collaboration with Schmidt Sciences, Virtual Earth System Research Institute (VESRI), CALIPSO project

Project Description

Supervisors

Dr Marie-Fanny Racault, Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia – contact me

Professor Corinne Le Quéré, University of East Anglia, School of Environmental Sciences

Dr Lionel Guidi, Sorbonne Université, Laboratoire d’océanographie de Villefranche-sur-mer (France)

 

Scientific background

Marine ecosystems play a key role in regulating the Earth’s climate and live largely at the ocean’s surface. Their activities are regulated through environmental conditions and mortality processes such as grazing by zooplankton and lysis by viruses. These processes generate a flux of carbon between the ocean surface and the deep ocean, so-called carbon export flux, that modulates atmospheric CO2 in the long-term. In this process, phytoplankton bloom events play a disproportionate role for carbon export, yet little is known on the role of viral epidemics in influencing the duration and (often abrupt) termination of blooms. The most recent global observations reveal that viral epidemics could have an important impact on blooms of phytoplankton in the ocean and related carbon export (Guidi et al., 2016), but the extent of their influence, the triggers and underlying processes have not been elucidated.

Research methodology

This PhD project aims to characterise the role of viral epidemics on the dynamic of plankton bloom events over the global ocean. This includes identifying the drivers of viral epidemics during bloom events, and determining their importance for triggering extreme carbon export events and influencing the ocean carbon cycle. The PhD candidate will examine phytoplankton mortality events using new marine observations such as satellite data (Racault et al 2017), in-situ measurements of viral abundance (Xie et al., 2021), imaging and genomics observation of open ocean diversity (Kaneko et al., 2021), to investigate the environmental and ecosystem processes driving the regional and temporal variations in the observed plankton mortalities using both machine-learning techniques and theoretical understanding. The candidate will work to improve the representation of virus-host bloom dynamics in the PlankTOM global marine ecosystem model, and use the model to explore virus-mediated interactions between marine ecosystems and climate change.

Training

The PhD candidate will be part of a dynamic research group and contribute to the development of a cutting-edge model of the ocean carbon cycle used for understanding the role of marine ecosystems in regulating climate and the Earth System. The successful candidate will receive specific training (e.g. analysis and execution of ocean ecosystem model simulations, UEA-led courses on Linux and High Performance Computers, Summer school focused short course on a topic relevant to the PhD) and have opportunities to interact with an international group of experts and attend Greenocean workshops. The project is expected to provide the PhD candidate with highly valuable transferable skills across various fields, including Data Analysis and Management, Computer Programming and Modelling, Systems Thinking, Critical Thinking and Problem Solving, Scientific Communication, Collaboration and Networking, which can open up opportunities in both academic and non-academic careers.

Person specification

This project is particularly suited for candidates with first degrees in any sciences and an interest in marine ecosystems and climate change. Individuals with experience in computer programming and special interest in modelling and/or machine learning are encouraged to apply.

References

  • Guidi, L., Chaffron, S., Bittner, L., Eveillard, D., Larhlimi, A., Roux, S., Darzi, Y., Audic, S., Berline, L., Brum, J. R., Coelho, L. P., Espinoza, J. C. I., Malviya, S., Sunagawa, S., Dimier, C., Kandels-Lewis, S., Picheral, M., Poulain, J., … Gorsky, G. (2016). Plankton networks driving carbon export in the oligotrophic ocean. Nature, 532(7600), 465–470. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature16942
  • Le Quéré, C., Buitenhuis, E. T., Moriarty, R., Alvain, S., Aumont, O., Bopp, L., Chollet, S., Enright, C., Franklin, D. J., Geider, R. J., Harrison, S. P., Hirst, A. G., Larsen, S., Legendre, L., Platt, T., Prentice, I. C., Rivkin, R. B., Sailley, S., Sathyendranath, S., … Vallina, S. M. (2016). Role of zooplankton dynamics for Southern Ocean phytoplankton biomass and global biogeochemical cycles. Biogeosciences, 13(14), 4111–4133. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-4111-2016
  • Xie, L., Wei, W., Cai, L., Chen, X., Huang, Y., Jiao, N., Zhang, R., & Luo, Y.-W. (2021). A global viral oceanography database (gVOD). Earth System Science Data, 13, 1251–1271. https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-13-1251-2021
  • Racault, M.-F., Sathyendranath, S., Brewin, R. J. W., Raitsos, D. E., Jackson, T., & Platt, T. (2017). Impact of El Niño Variability on Oceanic Phytoplankton. Frontiers in Marine Science, 4. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2017.00133
  • Kaneko, H., Blanc-Mathieu, R., Endo, H., Chaffron, S., Delmont, T. O., Gaia, M., Henry, N., Hernández-Velázquez, R., Nguyen, C. H., Mamitsuka, H., Forterre, P., Jaillon, O., de Vargas, C., Sullivan, M. B., Suttle, C. A., Guidi, L., & Ogata, H. (2021). Eukaryotic virus composition can predict the efficiency of carbon export in the global ocean. iScience, 24(1), 102002. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2020.102002

Key Information

  • This studentship has been shortlisted for funding under the UKRI NERC DLA funding scheme and will commence on 1 October 2025. The closing date for applications is 23:59 on 8th January 2025.
  • Successful candidates who meet UKRI’s eligibility criteria will be awarded a fully-funded studentship, which covers fees, maintenance stipend (£19,237 p.a. for 2024/25) and research funding. A limited number of studentships are available for international applicants, with the difference between 'home' and 'international' fees being waived by the registering university. Please note however that ARIES funding does not cover additional costs associated with relocation to, and living in, the UK, such as visa costs or the health surcharge.
  • ARIES postgradute researcher (PGRs) benefit from bespoke graduate training and ARIES provides £2,500 to every student for access to external training, travel and conferences, on top of all Research Costs associated with the project. Excellent applicants from quantitative disciplines with limited experience in environmental sciences may be considered for an additional 3-month stipend to take advanced-level courses.
  • ARIES is committed to equality, diversity, widening participation and inclusion in all areas of its operation. We encourage enquiries and applications from all sections of the community regardless of gender, ethnicity, disability, age, sexual orientation and transgender status. Academic qualifications are considered alongside non-academic experience, and our recruitment process considers potential with the same weighting as past experience.
  • All ARIES studentships may be undertaken on a part-time or full-time basis. International applicants should check whether there are any conditions of visa or imigration permission that preclude part-time study. All advertised project proposals have been developed with consideration of a safe, inclusive, and appropriate research and fieldwork environment with respect to protected characteristics. If you have any concerns please contact us.
  • For further information, please contact the supervisor. To apply for this Studentship follow the instructions at the bottom of the page or click the 'apply now' link.
  • ARIES is required by our funders to collect Equality and Diversity Information from all of our applicants. The information you provide will be used solely for monitoring and statistical purposes; it will remain confidential, and will be stored on the UEA sharepoint server. Data will not be shared with those involved in making decisions on the award of Studentships, and will have no influence on the success of your application. It will only be shared outside of this group in an anonymised and aggregated form. You will be ask to complete the form by the University to which you apply.
  • If funded under the BBSRC-NERC DLA scheme, ARIES studentships will be subject to UKRI terms and conditions. Postgraduate Researchers are expected to live within reasonable distance of their host organisation for the duration of their studentship. See https://www.ukri.org/publications/terms-and-conditions-for-training-funding/ for more information

Apply Now

Apply via the  University of East Anglia application portal