Kyle Mayers

My research interests are in understanding trophic dynamics, from viruses to zooplankton in oceanic and coastal marine ecosystems. I am interested in using a range of different tools, including microscopy, flow cytometry and molecular biology (including qPCR and droplet digital PCR) to further our understanding on rates and changes of marine microbial communities. My current research activities include enhancing our knowledge of the link between viruses and gelatinous zooplankton, how mixotrophy affects marine food webs, and developing molecular assays for micro- and mesozooplankton grazing rates within laboratory, mesocosm and natural experiments. My previous research has focused on the biogeochemistry of calcifying phytoplankton (coccolithophores), and the rates at which they grow, calcify and are grazed by microzooplankton.