PhD student James Black is using mini-chambers — small, portable chambers similar in concept to the large ‘antFOCE’ (Antarctic Free Ocean Carbon Enrichment) experimental chambers. These small chambers will help us gain an understanding of key ecosystem processes that will in turn help us to interpret the patterns detected in the main antFOCE experiment.

The mini-chambers draw acidified seawater from the antFOCE experimental system and measure the rate of photosynthetic activity in ‘benthic diatoms’ (single celled algae that live on the seafloor) and the respiration of larger sedimentary fauna such as burrowing Abatus sea urchins.

Glenn Johnstone — Project Manager

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