Coccolithus pelagicus short workshop
Bremen 1-2 March 1999, host Karl-Heinz Baumann
Introduction
At the First Annual CODENET Workshop, Blagnac September 21998, several of us realised that we had parallel sets of observations on Coccolithus pelagicus. We decided that it would be useful to hold a small informal workshop to share these results, explore the possibilities for joint publication of the results and co-ordinate future research. It was agreed that we should meet in Bremen, since this would enable the workshop to be combined with a visit to AWI Bremerhaven and to the culture facilities of the Bremen Calcareous dinoflagellate research group. Owing to teaching and other commitments the earliest practicable date proved to early March 1999.
Participants
Bremen University - Karl-Heinz Baumann, Claudia Sprengel, Babette Boeckel
Lisbon - Mario Cãchao
VU Amsterdam - Patrizia Ziveri
NHM, London - Jeremy Young
Monday 1st March
Morning - visit to AWI Bremerhaven (by K-HB, MC, JRY, PZ).
Visit to molecular biology research group of Linda Medlin. Discussion of molecular genetic research work in the CODENET project. Visit to the laboratory facilities. As biochemically naive geologists we benefited greatly from patient explanation and demonstration of the practicalities of research in an unfamiliar field. Discussions focussed on the key problems which could be addressed by combined morphological and molecular genetic research within the CODENET project, especially on micro-evolutionary analysis and molecular-clock calibration.
Visit to Ulf Riebesel; discussion of research opportunities for UR in the CODENET project, and possibilities for future research projects.
Afternoon - Round Table on C.pelagicus at Bremen University (K-HB, MC, JRY, PZ, CS, BB)
Exchange of data including;
Mario Cãchao - summary of research on occurrence of C. pelagicus in the Portuguese shelf area relative to ecological parameters. Presentation of preliminary data on Pliocene size variation.
Karl-Heinz Baumann - presentation of data on morphometric variability of C. pelagicus and its distribution in the sub-polar N. Atlantic.
Jeremy Young - summary of salient features of the Neogene to Recent record of C. pelagicus, based mainly on data from the Indian Ocean and N. Atlantic, including broad trends in morphological variation and biogeography.
Conclusions: We agreed that between us we had a very convincing set of data evidencing the existence of two distinct morphotypes within the extant C. pelagicus population. We decided that (a) we should publish this as soon as was practically possible, (b) priority should be given to carrying out culture experiments to investigate size variation in culture conditions and to test the hypothesis that the observed variation might be ecophenotypic. (c) These results should be presented at the Texel meeting and discussions started there to urge isolation of the different morphotypes as a priority and to identify ways of achieving this.
Tuesday 2nd March
Morning - continuation of Round Table on C.pelagicus, at Bremen University (K-HB, MC, JRY, PZ, CS, BB)
Patrizia Ziveri - presentation of preliminary syntheses of the biogeographic distribution of C. pelagicus in surface sediments and the plankton, and of comparative data on other species. Agreement was reached on various data exchanges to develop this analysis.
Jeremy Young - presentation of sketch outline of manuscript on discrimination of morphotypes within extant C. pelagicus. Agreement reached that this should be worked up into a fuller outline for the Texel meeting and specific datasets would be produced for this.
Afternoon - separate activities including:
Discussion between K-HB, MC and PZ on biogeographic datasets.
Visit by JRY to Helmut Willems (calcareous dinoflagellate research group) -discussion of possibilities for combined research on coccolithophores and dinoflagellates. Also of arrangements for the Bremen INA8 Conference in September 2000, and likely CODENET workshop at this conference.
Visit to calcareous dinoflagellate culture facilities, particularly Britta Karwath's temperature gradient block. Discussion of possibilities of using this facility for coccolithophorid growth experiments.
Agreement that CS and BB would apply to the NHM Bioresource Large Scale Facility for funding for a visit to learn image analysis techniques.
Summary
This was a short but intensive workshop which proved rather successful. The most concrete outcome was an agreement to produce a joint manuscript on the discrimination of two morphotypes within the extant C. pelagicus. More broadly we exchanged ideas on a range of topics and developed a very amicable understanding for co-ordination of future research. It was further agreed to continue joint discussions at the upcoming Texel workshop, and subsequently the Blagnac Annual workshop.
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