BIOGEOCHIMICS
Headers : Magali Lescot and Elvira Pulido
The team's main objective is to understand the role of the first autotrophic and heterotrophic echelons of the pelagic food web in biogeochemical cycles, and their dynamics (biological pump, export) in the context of global change.
These alterations will influence the biological pump, which in turn will modify the carbon sequestration processes in the oceans. We are mainly studying
- the functional role of the major planktonic groups (unicellular micro-organisms), in particular with an approach on the scale of individual cells.
- the cycle of biogenic elements in the water column: balance, flows, spatial and temporal variability, stoichiometry, autotrophy/heterotrophy balance.
- the interactions between planktonic structures and biogeochemical cycles at different spatio-temporal scales, enabling us to assess their variability and the causes of this variability.
We combine experimental approaches, fieldwork and modelling.
Biogeochemical modelling (Eco3M) is used upstream and downstream of experiments and campaigns and is coupled with physics.
This requires strong interaction with all the MIO teams and involvement in the laboratory's challenges and ocean observation.
Our preferred study sites
The plankton image library
Knowledge of the structure of phyto- and zooplankton communities is essential for understanding the intensity of primary production in surface waters and the efficiency of carbon transfer to the deep ocean. In parallel with our studies linking planktonic diversity to the cycle of biogenic elements in the ocean, we are making available a gallery of images of microplankton collected during our various field campaigns.