How do calcifying marine organisms grow? Determining the role of non-classical precipitation processes in biogenic marine calcite formation
Not stated
- Location
- Southampton, United Kingdom
- Funding
- Fully funded (UK and international); Stipend in line with UKRI standard levels, including the recent cost of living increase
- Application deadline
- See university guidance
About the project
The shells of planktonic marine calcifying organisms represent one of the largest long-term carbon sinks on Earth’s surface and are an important archive of geochemical systems that record past climate change. As such, and because the response of these organisms to anthropogenic climate change may be an important carbon cycle feedback, it is vitally important to understand how these organisms calcify.
There is growing evidence that most marine calcifying organisms produce crystalline calcite or aragonite (CaCO 3 ) via a ‘precursor’ phase, usually amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC). However, no laboratory experiment has succeeded in producing CaCO 3 via an amorphous precursor with the characteristics of biological marine calcites. Solving this issue would constrain an important component of the biomineralisation process and enable us to understand the sensitivity of calcification to past, present, and future environmental change.
This project will experimentally determine the physical and chemical conditions required to form calcite via ACC with the geochemical and structural properties of that of marine organisms. Ultimately, the project will build this information into a biomineralisation model to help mechanistically underpin our understanding of the extent to which marine organisms will be impacted by future climate change and ocean acidification.
For full project details visit the Inspire project page .
Supervisors
- Dr David Evans (University of Southampton)
- Dr Chris Pearce (National Oceanography Centre)
- Professor Sumeet Mahajan (University of Southampton)
Professor Sumeet Mahajan MSc, MTech, PhD, FHEA, FRSC
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Entry requirements
A 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent , in one of these subjects:
- any Earth or environmental science discipline
- chemistry
- geology
Fees and funding
INSPIRE studentships are funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC, part of UK Research and Innovation, UKRI). The stipend is in line with UKRI standard levels, including the recent cost of living increase.
All studentships are fully funded for 3.5 years.
How to apply
To make an application, visit the how to apply section of the INSPIRE website .
Contact us
For questions about the project, contact Dr David Evans.
Email: d.b.j.evans@gmail.com
For questions about the application process, contact the graduate school office.
Email: gsnocs@soton.ac.uk