Catherine Ribeiro is an oceanographer and marine microbial ecologist specializing in the study of how environmental forces shape phytoplankton diversity over time and space. To study the smallest and most diverse autotrophic organisms on the planet, she uses a combined approach of traditional culturing methods and cutting-edge DNA sequencing technologies. On the Perpetual Planet Southern Ocean Expedition, Ribeiro’s work aims to predict how the tiny microbes that underpin the Southern Ocean’s food web will respond to climate change and guide the development of conservation tools to support a healthy ecosystem. Ribeiro is a postdoctoral researcher with broad experience in field expeditions, including two oceanic cruises and two Antarctic campaigns. She has studied the microalgae diversity shared between the Arctic and the Antarctic regions since 2016. Besides being located at opposite ends of the globe, the Arctic and the Antarctic differ significantly in geology and hydrology while sharing many similarities, including extremely low temperatures, and seasonally-dependent light conditions. Ribeiro is amazed by the role of microorganisms as the great pillars of life, and hopes her research can set a baseline for future polar diversity monitoring
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