Objective
Marine planktonic fungi (mycoplankton) have been largely ignored compared to other plankton groups, such as phytoplankton, especially the roles that they fulfil in marine ecosystems. My research has shown that mycoplankton are a major structural and functional component of coastal ecosystems that have been almost completely overlooked. I have shown that mycoplankton are a substantial proportion of plankton biomass and that saprotrophic mycoplankton are active in coastal ecosystems. Mycoplankton are also a major plankton group in the open ocean and dominate on marine snow particles. These studies demonstrate that fungi have potential roles in the marine carbon cycle including the biological carbon pump. The absence of fungi within a general view of the structure and function of the marine carbon cycle, including a lack of mechanistic understanding of saprotroph functional biology and ecology, represent major knowledge gaps in our understanding of marine ecosystems that must urgently be addressed. MYCO-CARB will address these knowledge gaps through an innovative programme of research. Research cruises at established marine observatories will make an unprecedented assessment of active mycoplankton diversity and abundance across a range of ecosystems; from surface coastal waters to the deep open ocean. Innovative approaches, including molecular ecology tools and ecosystem modelling, will establish the impact of fungal saprotrophs on the marine carbon cycle. A culture collection will be developed, informed by the field-based surveys of natural assemblages to produce ecologically-relevant model fungi. Complementary culture-dependent and -independent systems biology methodologies will determine the underpinning biological machinery of saprotrophic marine mycoplankton. Through the MYCO-CARB research programme, I will open the marine fungal ‘black box’, revealing marine mycoplankton functional biology and ecology, and establishing their roles in the marine carbon cycle.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology mycology
- natural sciences biological sciences ecology ecosystems
- agricultural sciences agricultural biotechnology biomass
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
ERC-COG - Consolidator Grant
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2017-COG
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
PL1 2PB Plymouth
United Kingdom
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.