The Relationships between Metal Speciation and Metal Biota Interactions in Harbors

My long term goal is to understand the interactions between trace metals and phytoplankton in neritic environments. This interaction is envisioned as a two-way process: Trace metals affect the growth, species composition, and biomass of phytoplankton. In response, phytoplankton adapt to their chemical environment through natural selection by genetically altering their responses to trace metals, thus accounting for many of the differences observed among phytoplankton species. These differences lead to trace metals affecting species composition. Another aspect of the interaction between chemistry and biology that we are investigating is how biology in turn affects chemistry—specifically how phytoplankton change the chemical speciation of trace metals in seawater through the production of particular organic compounds A second long term goal is to use our knowledge of trace metalphytoplankton interactions to better evaluate the impact anthropogenic trace metal inputs to harbors and neritic waters may have on phytoplankton communities and to evaluate the validity of current water quality regulations.