PhD Thesis Proposition: Bioavailability of glacial iron to microbes in the Southern Ocean
The main objective of the PhD thesis is to investigate the bioavailability of different forms of glacial Fe to microorganisms in the SO. The determination of the bioavailability of Fe is a challenging issue, because not all the chemical forms of Fe are equally available. A biological approach to address this question is based on the metabolic activity and gene expression profiles of taxonomically and functionally diverse microorganisms in the presence of different forms of Fe (i.e. dissolved organic complexes, colloids or particles). The bacterial biosynthesis and use of siderophores, low molecular weight compounds that can strongly bind to Fe in seawater, is one pathway of key interest. The PhD candidate will test the hypothesis that bacteria are central in making Fe bioavailable for phytoplankton.
The PhD thesis, starting in October 2022, will be carried out at the LOMIC (http://lomic.obsbanyuls.fr) located in Banyuls-sur-mer (France). The LOMIC is composed of a diverse team of researchers with expertise in marine biogeochemistry, microbial ecology and diversity, and physiology of key microbial model organisms.
If you are interested, please contact ingrid.obernosterer @ obs-banyuls.fr as soon as possible for any further information.
Fulll description of the PhD proposition
Ecole doctorale 129 "Sciences de l'Environnement" Sorbonne Université