Keyu Lu

PhD project title:

The importance of micronutrient cycling in glaciated environments for the global carbon cycle – a case study from Greenland.

A major interaction mechanism between ocean, climate and carbon cycle is the biological pump where phytoplankton removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. This carbon sequestration relies on trace metal micronutrients supply to support primary productivity. At the forefront of change in this warming world, glaciated environments are important sources of nutrients. However, there are limited constraints on the fate of these glacially-supplied nutrients and their downstream impacts on open ocean ecosystems.

This project will focus on trace metal micronutrient cycling of Zn, Cu and Cd in Greenland fjords and adjacent seawater. By analysing their concentration gradients and isotope compositions with the employment of Nd isotope, we aim to achieve a better understanding of their biogeochemistry and to elucidate the role of glacial nutrient supply in a warming climate.

I finished MSc Climate Change at UCL with my dissertation on palaeo carbon cycling. I received degrees in BSc Environmental Sciences from University of East Anglia and Ocean University of China. My research interest lies in the intersection of climate change, marine biogeochemistry and the carbon cycle.

Resources:

• Email: keyu.lu.18@ucl.ac.uk
• Supervisors: Dr Susan Little & Dr David Wilson