Comparative study of 10 polar diatom strains (Fragilariopsis sp.)

Polar ecosystems are increasingly affected by global warming. This appears to have a larger impact in the Arctic, where the loss of summer sea ice is more pronounced. To investigate the impact of forecasted warming on key species in polar regions we have focused on the polar diatom Fragilariopsis sp.; an abundant group in cold waters, capable of living in both sea ice and open oceans, with a large ecological impact. We are interested in the genomic differences between strains from the Arctic and Antarctic, especially in relation to different impacts from climate change. We are also looking at how different strains adapt at a molecular and physiological level to a gradual increase in temperature.