Cherokee Turner

I am an undergraduate student in Biological Sciences conducting research in the Earth System Sciences department.  I am most interested in studying the effects of ocean acidification on phytoplankton. Phytoplankton are some of the tiniest organisms in the ocean and are difficult to see with the naked eye; but they are extremely important because they produce almost half of the world's oxygen supply and absorb carbon products from fossil fuels.  The purpose of my research is to determine how the population of phytoplankton changes dependent upon the pH of the water.  This is important because as the climate changes the ocean becomes a sink for excess carbon gases, decreasing the pH of the water, potentially creating stressful living conditions for all oceanic species including phytoplankton. On the other hand, the increased availability of carbon could favor certain species. My research investigates the different responses among diverse species and strains of phytoplankton.