Diurnal Infection Rhythm of Cyanophages and Its Implication on Marine Carbon Cycle (PI: Prof. Qinglu ZENG) The research team led by Prof. Qinglu Zeng investigated how cyanophages use light-dependent and light- independent adsorption strategies to adapt to the natural light-dark cycle in the oceans. They found that the time of infection affects the relative fitness of cyanophages with different adsorption strategies and built a mathematical model to describe the infection kinetics of cyanophages with different adsorption strategies. They also unveiled diel infection rhythms of field cyanophage populations in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre. The findings of this project have led to publications in scientific journals PNAS, mSystems and Microbiome. The study provides insights into the interaction of cyanophages and cyanobacteria and its influence on marine carbon cycling. OCEAN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Unlock Biogeographical Secrets and Population Connectivity of Deep-sea Animals (PI: Prof. Peiyuan QIAN) Population connectivity is a critical criterion in assessing the biodiversity conservation value of any particular habitat as stipulated by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), International Maritime Organization (IMO) and other United Nations (UN) agencies, along with various international organizations. With the integration of population genomics analyses and physical ocean modeling data, Prof. Peiyuan Qian's research team has unlocked for the first time the demographic history, genetic structure, and population connectivity of deep-sea animals such as deep-sea limpet widely distributed in deep-sea vent and seep ecosystems in the Northwest Pacific. The results of their studies deepen our understanding of the demographical mechanisms and population connectivity of deep-sea organisms under the intricate interactions amongst local habitats, seafloor topography and ocean currents, lay a foundation for the conservation of marine biodiversity and sustainable utilization of marine resources, and pave the way for the establishment of regional environmental management plans as well as the designation of marine protected areas in the global ocean. The research findings of this project were published in the international academic journal Molecular Biology and Evolution. 19
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