Interactions of Small-Scale Physical Mixing Processes with the Structure, Morphology and Bloom Dynamics and Optics of Non-Spheroid Phytoplankton

Our long-term goal is to understand the ecology of phytoplankton, especially the large, colonial diatoms which frequently dominate the flora of coastal shelves, upwelling areas, fjords and banks. We are interested in ways in which species-specific properties, including cell and colony size and shape interact with small-scale physical mixing processes to regulate the spatio-temporal distribution of diatoms. We wish to understand these processes in sufficient detail to be able to predict bloom dynamics, size structure and the impact of species-specific characteristics of the phytoplankton on ocean optics.