WP 8 leader:  Tron Frede Thingstad    Frede.Thingstad (at) bio.uib.no   UiB

Objectives:

• Assess the direct and indirect effects of ocean acidification on predatory control of autotrophic and heterotrophic organisms
• Evaluation of the ocean acidification relevant hypothesis that calcification is a predator-defense mechanism for algae

Description of work and role of participants:

T8.1: Quantify the effects of acidification on predator-mediated mortality of autotrophic and heterotrophic microorganisms in the pelagic mesocosms studies (LOV, IFM-GEOMAR, UiB, NIOZ), link to WP 7

T8.2: Quantify the consequences of changes in prey quality (e.g. C:nutrient ratios as expected in task 8.1) for herbivorous predators in microcosms (IFM-GEOMAR, LOV, UiB)

T8.3: Quantify the consequences of changes in the bioavailability of algal exudates (as expected in task 8.1), also including indirect effects due to TEP enhanced cell aggregation, for predatory control by grazing and viral lysis in microcosms (LOV, UiB); link to WP 5 and WP7)

T8.4: Determine the quantitative importance of coccoliths in reducing mortality due to predation and viral infection (NIOZ, SOTON-SOES, LOV, UiB); link to WP4 and WP 9-12)