Hg-PLANKTARCTIC - Unravelling interactions between phyto- and zooplankton and mercury cycling in Deception Island waters impacted by volcanic-mercury |
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Coordinator -
Carla Alexandra Lapa Pereira Gameiro
CESAM Responsible researcher - Mário Pacheco Programme - PROPOLAR 2016-2017 - Programa Polar Português Execution dates - 2017-01-15 - 2018-12-31 (24 Months) Funding Entity - FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia Total Funding - 1700 € Proponent Institution - MARE - Centro de Ciências do Mar e do Ambiente, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa Participating Institutions Universidade de AveiroInstituto Superior Técnico (IST), Universidade de Lisboa Project Description Mercury (Hg) is recognised as priority pollutant, impacting polar marine communities. Although phytoand zooplankton are key components in polar marine systems, little is known about Hg effects on natural communities. The volcanic-Hg impacted Deception Island in Antarctica provides perfect conditions to understand Hg effects on phyto- and zooplankton, their physiological response and resistance mechanisms to cope with Hg contamination and its impacts on Hg biogeochemical cycling. In the project, Hg availability, phyto- and zooplankton community features, physiological (photosynthesis, respiration) and biochemical information (pigments, fatty acids (FA), reactive oxygen species (ROS) reaction products, antioxidants) will be integrated with a metagenomics approach. The proposed research will provide lacking fundamental knowledge on interactions between phyto- and zooplankton and Hg cycling in austral ecosystems, with potential application to other Hg contaminated environments worldwide.
CESAM members on this project
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