Short cv:

I am working on distribution patterns of phytoplankton taxa (i.e., diatoms, dinoflagellates, cryptophytes and other minor groups) along the Northern Antarctic Peninsula (NAP), a warming impacted region in the Southern Ocean, which undergoes critical physical and biological changes in its marine ecosystems. Over the past decades, diatoms have been replaced by smaller phytoplankton cells associated with a southward warming. These changes at the base of the food wed have severe implications to energy flux through trophic chains and biogeochemical processes at a global scale, since the Southern Ocean is connected via Antarctic Circumpolar Current and Antarctic Bottom Water with the other global oceans. As initial results, we have found that shallower mixing layers (< 20 m) associated with localized glacier meltwater have prevented large centric diatom biomass accumulation, favoring small cryptophytes along the NAP. A counterpoint was observed during the spring/summer of 2015/2016 associated with the first extreme El Niño event of the century, when a large diatom biomass accumulation (> 45 mg m–3) was recorded along the NAP distributed in relatively deeper mixing layers (> 20 m). Apparently, the effects of the El Niño generate colder conditions associated with southerly winds, reflecting in a lower incoming of glacier meltwater during the austral summer along the NAP. To get these results, we collect seawater samples to phytoplankton (microscopy and pigments) and nutrient (dissolved inorganic nitrogen, silicic acid and phosphate) analyses along with CTD casts to measure physical parameters of the water column. We also use satellite measurements to extend the temporal coverage of analysis.