本项目拟从颗石藻室内培养、海水现代颗石藻和颗石藻化石记录三个方面探索颗石藻在碳循环中的作用。通过颗石藻室内培养，寻求不同生长介质条件下颗石藻的生理学、生物学变化，建立与各类地球化学指标的关系，特别重点探索对CO2浓度变化的响应。通过对南海表层水样、水柱样、沉积捕获器样和表层沉积样现代颗石藻的系统和定量分析，揭示颗石藻的生产、沉降和保存过程与海洋碳循环之间的关系。通过对南海若干地质时期沉积物开展不同时间分辨率的颗石藻分析，研究颗石藻对重要古海洋事件的响应，特别是与碳循环周期演变、碳同位素重值事件之间的关系。

Coccolithophores play an important role in the marine carbon cycle. In this study, we will explore the roles of coccolithophores in the carbon cycle in the South China Sea from laboratory culture, living coccolithophores to geological records. Coccolithophores will be cultured under different media , and we will discuss the response of coccolithophores to varied conditions especially to CO2.Living coccolithophores in surface water ,water column, sediment traps and surface sediments will be investigated in the South China Sea in order to understand the relationship between coccolithopre production, sedimentation, preservation and the carbon cycle. Quantitative analysis will be carried out on samples from cores on different resolution in order to understand the coccolithophores response to palaeoceanographic events, especially the relationship between the variations of coccolithophores and the carbon cycle.