PhD studentship in Geobiosphere Scienceat the Department of Earth and Ecosystem Science, Faculty of ScienceProject description: Fluvial transport of amorphous silica
The PhD project will investigate the transport of amorphous silica by rivers to theworld's oceans. Amorphous silica (ASi) mostly originates from biological uptake byplants. Plants take up dissolved silicate and deposit it as an amorphous form ofsilica called phytoliths. Phytoliths and ASi formed in soils enters aquaticecosystems through litterfall and erosion. In addition, diatoms in aquaticecosystems also take up dissolved silicate and deposit it as ASi. There is a widerange of concentrations found in rivers depending upon the soils and vegetation inthe watershed, and algal growth in lakes and rivers. The amount of ASi transportedby rivers to the world's oceans is poorly known.