PhD Studentship: Integrating Plankton Imaging Techniques for Ecosystem Analysis

This PhD studentship, hosted by the University of Essex, focuses on the application of size-based imaging technologies to study marine plankton communities. The project aims to improve our understanding of ecosystem function, trophic dynamics, and carbon export processes in the Southern Ocean and the Western English Channel. The successful candidate will integrate traditional net-derived data with modern image-based observations from ship surveys and moorings. The research will explore how environmental drivers influence plankton community structure and contribute to global ocean health monitoring efforts.

• Combine traditional net-derived plankton data with image-based observations from ship surveys and oceanic moorings.
• Investigate seasonal and interannual changes in plankton community structure in the Scotia Sea and Western English Channel.
• Analyze the influence of environmental drivers such as temperature, nutrient availability, and sea ice on community size spectra.
• Perform laboratory work including sample processing, microscopy, and benchtop imaging.
• Participate in UK-based fieldwork to gain training in quantitative plankton sampling and seagoing skills.
• Develop tools for rapid ecosystem monitoring, potentially utilizing machine-learning approaches.