Our study of phytoplankton niches at Station Cariaco show that phytoplankton can evolve and change their niches over a 10-15 year period. The figure below shows the distribution of mean phytoplankton niche for temperature, irradiance, and nitrate concentration in a cooler period (blue) and a warmer period (red). Temperature and irradiance niches shift to track changes in the environment. The niches of some phytoplankton shift to lower nitrate concentrations as nitrate …

We are looking for one or two post-doctoral research associates to join the Marine Macroecology and Biogeochemistry Lab at Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick, Canada. For information on the lab go to www.mmab.ca. Two broad research areas are described below. There is flexibility in the details of the projects which will be designed to suit the skills and goals of the post-docs.

Marine ecology

Species distribution models can be useful tools to characterize …

Dr Benner’s work on phytoplankton evolution was featured in The Argosy this week.

Click here for the full article.

SACKVILLE, NB — Mount Allison University geography and environment professor Dr. Zoe Finkel is collaborating with researchers in a multi-university consortium that received $7.25 million to study the impact of the Deep Water Horizon oil spill on both the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem and public health. The spill released approximately 4.1 million barrels of oil into the gulf and another 1.84 million gallons of the chemical Corexit was added to disperse the oil.

Finkel, Canada …

SACKVILLE, NB —Mount Allison geography and environment professor and award-winning researcher Dr. Zoe Finkel has been named the newest Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Marine Environmental Ecology. The announcement was made as part of a national announcement by the Canada Research Chairs program on October 12.

Finkel’s research examines the effects of climate change on phytoplankton, microscopic organisms that live in the ocean, which produce half of all the oxygen on earth, …