Collaborative Research: Chemical and Biological Characterizations of Phosphonate and Polyphosphate Dynamics in Marine Phytoplankton

磷(P)是公认的海洋初级生产所必需的营养物质，其无机化学已经得到了广泛的研究。然而，溶解有机磷库(DOP)作为微生物的重要磷源，对其研究甚少。该项目将使用以磷酸盐和聚磷酸盐为重点的受控培养研究，确定DOP的生物来源。这些化合物类对磷的循环、碳固定和群落结构以及上层海洋的输出和长期封存起着重要的控制作用。这项研究将使用创新的方法，包括分子工具和新的化学分析，以检查关键浮游植物类群在不同环境条件下产生的特定磷酸盐和聚磷酸盐化合物。四个假设推动了提出的研究，并将研究重点放在主要的研究问题上。这项研究将提高我们对特定磷化合物的产生的理解，并提供对DOP的生物利用度和磷对生物生产的影响的洞察。该项目将培训三名研究生，并有与该研究相关的大量外展部分。PI将使用Whyville将教育和外联整合到K-12社区，Whyville是一个专门面向8-14岁儿童的在线虚拟世界。在这项研究中，研究人员将通过与高危儿童的互动来扩大Whyville作为科学学习工具的使用，作为Science Quest的一部分，这是一个住房收容所的课后项目，并通过向学校教师提供密集的暑期短期课程。

Phosphorus (P) is a recognized essential nutrient for marine primary production and its inorganic chemistry has been well studied. However, the dissolved organic phosphorus pool (DOP) has been little studied even given its importance as a phosphorus source to microorganisms. This project will identify biogenic sources of P compounds to DOP using controlled culture studies focused on phosphonate and polyphosphate. These compound classes exert important controls over P cycling, carbon fixation and community structure and export from the upper ocean, and long-term sequestration. The study will employ innovative methods, including molecular tools and novel chemical analyses, to examine specific phosphonate and polyphosphate compound production by key phytoplankton taxa under different environmental conditions. Four hypotheses are driving the proposed research and focus the study on the primary research questions. The study will improve our understanding of the production of specific P compounds, and provide insight into the bioavailability of DOP and the influence of P on biological production.The project will train three graduate students and there is a substantial outreach component associated with the study. The PIs will integrate education and outreach to K-12 communities using Whyville, an online virtual world geared specifically to 8-14 year old children. During this study, the investigators will expand the use of Whyville as a science learning tool through interactions with at-risk children as part of ScienceQuest, an after school program at a housing shelter, and through intensive summer short courses to school teachers.