I am a chemical and microbial ecologist primarily interested in marine plants. My PhD research furthers our understanding of microbial decomposition of kelp with the aim of resolving if kelp carbon is effectively buried in marine sediments.

Ocean-based biological carbon dioxide removal is currently considered to be an important climate change mitigation strategy and kelp forests are proposed to play a key role based on their high productivity. In truth, we have very little fundamental knowledge of the kelp forest carbon cycle, a prerequisite for the successful implementation of such projects. For instance, information on the interplay between organic and inorganic carbon cycling during carbon assimilation is scant and crucial details on microbial carbon remineralisation and carbon burial are unknown. The goal of this PhD is to shed light on these…