OCE-PRF: Examining biological production and utilization of marine polyphosphate with integrated biogeochemical methods as an approach to broaden participation in ocean sciences

在本项目中，研究人员将通过研究影响海洋多磷酸盐丰度、产生和利用的生物机制，探索海洋中磷的循环。虽然磷（P）是有助于控制海洋生物生产力和微生物群落组成的关键营养素，但高达75%的海洋溶解性P（统称为溶解有机P（DOP））的来源和归宿，仍然是个谜研究人员进行的研究表明，聚磷酸盐（poly-P）是世界海洋中DOP的丰富成分（约10%），并参与了关键的全球过程，如地质磷封存和全球气候。然而，在散装DOP池的情况下，很少有人知道的生物机制，塑造丰富，生产和利用海洋聚磷。鉴于深刻的生态系统和气候影响的聚磷循环及其作为一个丰富的生物磷源的潜在作用，了解微生物的来源和聚-调节其组成和令人惊讶的全球丰度一致的磷仍然是海洋学的一个根本挑战。由于缺乏分析技术，海洋聚磷研究的进展历来受到限制;但是，通过综合生物地球化学方法，结合调查人员和赞助科学家的专门知识和技术背景，现在可以提供填补海洋聚磷循环方面关键知识空白的工具。通过这项研究发现的聚磷生产和微生物磷同化的新机制有可能从根本上推进磷代谢的生物模型，并通过揭示塑造其组成的新机制，改变目前对海洋DOP的理解，影响其他营养素，氧和碳的相关循环，更广泛的教育影响与东道机构现有的教育和推广机会相结合。调查员将指导通过伍兹霍尔海洋研究所少数民族学生奖学金计划招募的两名暑期本科生。指导方法的目的是推进发现和大大丰富学生的科学贡献，个人经验，并继续在海洋科学的整体可能性。更多的扩大参与活动将有助于加强海洋科学教育的现有基础设施，并促进更广泛的社区参与。该项目得到了NSF海洋科学博士后研究奖学金（OCE PRF）计划的支持，其目标是支持早期职业科学家的新研究，并增加美国海洋科学劳动力和研究社区的多样性。在海洋环境组织-太平洋研究基金的支持下，该项目将使有前途的早期职业研究人员能够在与海洋科学有关的独立研究生涯中立足，并扩大代表性不足的群体对海洋科学的参与。

In this project, the investigator will explore the cycling of phosphorus in the ocean by studying the biological mechanisms that shape the abundance, production, and utilization of marine polyphosphate.Although phosphorus (P) is a key nutrient that helps control marine biological productivity and microbial community composition, the origin and fate of up to 75% of marine dissolved P, collectively referred to as dissolved organic P (DOP), remains enigmatic. Research conducted by the investigator revealed that polyphosphate (poly-P) is an abundant component (~10%) of DOP throughout the world's ocean and is involved in critical global processes such as geologic P sequestration and global climate. However, as in the case for bulk DOP pools, very little is known about the biological mechanisms shaping the abundance, production, and utilization of marine poly-P. Given the profound ecosystem and climatic implications of poly-P cycling and its potential role as an abundant biological P source, understanding the microbial sources and sinks of poly-P that regulate its composition and surprisingly consistent global abundance remains a fundamental challenge in oceanography. Advances in the study of marine poly-P have historically been limited by a lack of analytical techniques; however, tools to fill critical knowledge gaps in marine poly-P cycling are now available through an integrated biogeochemical approach that combines the expertise and technical backgrounds of the investigator and sponsoring scientist. New mechanisms of poly-P production and microbial P assimilation discovered through this research have the potential to fundamentally advance biological models of P metabolism and transform current understanding of marine DOP by revealing new mechanisms that shape its composition, influence the linked cycles of other nutrients, oxygen, and carbon, and global climate.Educational broader impacts integrate with existing education and outreach opportunities at the host institution. The investigator will mentor two summer undergraduate students recruited through the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Minority Student Fellowship Program. Mentoring approaches are designed to advance discovery and substantially enrich the students' scientific contributions, personal experiences, and overall likelihood of continuing in ocean science. Additional broadening participation activities will contribute to the existing infrastructure of ocean science education and foster participation in the broader community. This project is supported under the NSF Ocean Sciences Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (OCE PRF) program, with goals to support novel research by early career scientists and increase the diversity of the U.S. ocean sciences workforce and research community. With OCE-PRF support, this project will enable a promising early career researcher to establish themselves in an independent research career related to ocean sciences and broaden participation of under-represented groups in the ocean sciences.