Research
My research is using genetic markers to understand diet in zooplankton, especially krill, and most especially antarctic krill. I try to use qPCR (quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction) to quantitatively detect species or phylogenetic groups in the stomach contents of krill. I plan to combine this with feeding experiments investigating digestion rate, in order to calculate an accurate measure of consumption. I am especially interested in using these methods to answer questions about the ecology and feeding strategies of Antarctic krill, <i>Euphausia superba</i>. I hope to investigate their overwintering strategies, and the roles of carnivory and ice algae in their diet.
<p>
</p>
