Research
Theme 1 & 2
www.darwincenter.nl
Project 2061

Interactions of Zinc, Iron and CO2 system with Polar Oceans Plankton in a High-CO2 world
Project leader: Prof. dr. ir. H. J. W. de Baar
Researcher(s): A. Hoogstraten
Starting date: 1-nov-07

Abstract
The combustion of fossil fuels leads to emissions of carbon dioxide CO2, causing an increase of CO2 in the atmosphere as well as invasion of CO2 into the world oceans. Atmospheric CO2 is expected to be doubling at ~750 ppm at about 2050 A.D. while the acidity of the oceans will almost double from pH 8.1 to pH 7.9 units. This is only 43 years ahead and our children living today will witness this double-CO2 world and acidified oceans. Ocean acidification will not only cause major changes of the inorganic carbon dioxide chemistry in seawater, but will also affect the biological availability of the essential trace elements iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn). Fe is intimately linked with photosynthesis, and thus CO2 fixation, while Zn is pivotal in the enzyme carbonic anhydrase for CO2 metabolism. The phytoplankton ecology of the Southern Ocean in a High-CO2 World will be studied under controlled Fe-Zn-light-CO2 conditions mimicking the glacial/interglacial periods of past >650,000 years, the modern CO2 of today, and the double CO2 of 2050 A.D. The physiological response of key individual species will be studied in the laboratory, while the plankton ecosystem response will be studied in shipboard experiments in the Southern Ocean.

Publications
Hoogstraten, A., Peters, M., Timmermans, K. R., and de Baar, H. J. W (2011). Combined effects of inorganic carbon and light on Phaeocystis globosa Scherffel (Prymnesiophyceae). Biogeosciences Discuss8: 12353-12380.
Darwin Center authors: de Baar H. J. W., Hoogstraten A.

Hoogstraten, A., Peters, M., Timmermans, K.R., De Baar, H.J.W (2012). Combined effects of inorganic carbon and light on Phaeocystis globosa Scherffel (Prymnesiophyceae). Biogeosciences9: 1885-1896.
Darwin Center authors: de Baar H. J. W., Hoogstraten A.

Hoogstraten, A., Timmermans, K.R., de Baar, H.J.W (2012). Morphological and physiological effects in proboscia alata (bacillariophyceae) grown under different light and co2 conditions of the modern southern ocean. Journal of Phycology48: 559-568.
Darwin Center authors: de Baar H. J. W., Hoogstraten A.