Imaging Flow Cytometry for Polar Phytoplankton Analysis

The Arctic Ocean, warming at twice the global rate, is experiencing shifts in light and nutrient availability. These changes directly impact phytoplankton - the foundation of the marine food web - altering community composition, while declining silicic acid concentrations impact diatom silicification. To address these challenges, this research explores the application of multispectral imaging flow cytometry (IFC) for marine phytoplankton analysis. Methods were developed to quantify diatom silicification and assess community composition, with preliminary results showing significant progress in both areas whilst revealing technical challenges. Future work will focus on refining these techniques and integrating AI convolutional neural networks to improve species classification, ultimately contributing to a better understanding of phytoplankton dynamics in the changing Arctic.