Tiny plants in the ocean called phytoplankton convert carbon dioxide that comes to the ocean from the atmosphere into organic carbon that can be used for energy, just like plants on land. Phytoplankton also require many other things in order to survive including nitrogen, a nutrient they use to make different parts of their cells. However, nitrogen is often only present in limited quantities in the open ocean. There are certain phytoplankton that can live in these environments by also being able to convert nitrogen gas in the water to a form of nitrogen they need, a process called nitrogen fixation. My research aims to measure the phytoplankton that are taking both carbon and nitrogen gases from the water and making it biologically useful, which is important because the energy they create is transferred to bigger sea-life as they are eaten. Today I collected phytoplankton at multiple depths by concentrating them onto special filters and preserving them for analysis back on land.

Posted by Alicia

Adding chemicals to a tube with the filter to keep the phytoplankton cells preserved. Photo credit Robyn Von Swank, instagram @vonswank.

Using a vacuum pump to concentrate phytoplankton cells onto a filter.  Photo credit Robyn Von Swank, instagram @vonswank.

Posted by Alicia