Visiting Biological Sciences Research in Bio, funded by the China Scholarship Council (CSC)

 

I completed my undergraduate studies in Biological Sciences at Qufu Normal University from 2017 to 2021, earning my first degree in this field. Since 2021, I have been studying in the field of Biology and Medicine at Ocean University of China. In 2024, I received support from the CSC to conduct an exchange study at the LEHTOVIRTA-MORLEY Lab at the University of East Anglia (UEA).

 

Research Topic: Nitrogen-metabolizing Bacterial Groups in the Outbreak of Ulva prolifera Green Tides: Response Mechanism and Ecological Correlation

 

Ulva prolifera green tide is the largest and longest-lasting harmful algal bloom events, characterized by long-distance floating and periodic outbreaks. Studies on the disaster-causing mechanisms of Ulva prolifera green tides indicate a close relationship between the scale and duration of the outbreaks and the concentration and forms of nitrogen in seawater. Nitrogen-metabolizing microorganisms may play a crucial role in the outbreak of these algal blooms, as their nitrogen metabolism activities influence the transformation of different nitrogen forms in the aquatic environment, leading to nitrogen exchange and migration between water, air, and sediments. Symbiotic microbial communities play an essential role in the growth, development, and stress resistance of eukaryotic hosts, gradually being considered as a unified ecological unit, known as a "holobiont," which represents a new research frontier in marine ecology. During my exchange study at the Lehtovirta-Morley Lab, I will focus on studying the ecological role of nitrogen-metabolizing bacteria in the outbreak of Ulva prolifera green tides and the biogeochemical effects they produce.