Microbiome Productivity: investigating the photophysiology and productivity of microalgal biomes in coralline algal habitats

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This project utilises the expertise of the UK partners regarding macro and microalgal taxonomy, ecology and physiology, in a novel collaboration with the French partners regarding single cell analysis of samples using the combination of Hyperspectral Imaging and high resolution fluorescence. The subject matter will be the combination of the bioengineer Coralline macroalgae and the epi and endo biotic microalgal biome associated within the fronds of these macroalgae. This is a value added investigation expanding upon a NERC UK Ocean Acidification research Programme studentship project supervised by the UK partners. Coralline macroalgae are calcifying organisms that engineer a 3-dimensional habitat colonised by many endobiotic and epibiotic organisms. A large part of this community is comprised of photosynthetic microalgae. These are important biomes, yet are extremely poorly understood with regard to basic knowledge of community structure, or the functional relevance or interaction of the microalgae and the macroalgae. This project therefore aims to establish a long term collaboration between the UK and French partners, investigating the two photosynthetic components of the biome with regard to community structure, primary productivity and functional photophysiology. Initial pilot data obtained by the PI and the French partners using seagrass (Zostera species) has indicated that paired hyperspectral imaging and high resolution fluorescence imaging produces spectral signatures that can identify the major taxa dominating the epiphytic community growing on the Zostera. Further analysis suggests that this data, paired with high resolution fluorescence may enable analysis of primary productivity, photosynthetic pigments and functional photophysiology (e.g. down regulation, photoacclimation etc.) of individual single cell epiphytes as well as individual segments (intergenicula) of the macroalgal frond. If this proves correct, then the novel pairing of these methods will provide ultra-fine scale data on the photophysiology and productivity of the macroalgae, the microalgae and the interaction between the two. This will greatly expand our understanding of the function of the macro and micro components of these important communities and hence enable a far more informed interpretation of photophysiological data when investigating impacts, such as acidification and light induced stressors, or enhanced carbon dioxide treatments, applied in studies of these important coastal organisms.