Harnessing Plankton Research Is Crucial to Inform Climate Models
30 international experts argue that plankton models need updating to reflect contemporary knowledge, requiring urgent joint attention from both empiricists and modelers. “Plankton are mainly microscopic organisms that grow in the ocean (and also in inland waters) that support the base of the food chain. No plankton—no fish, no sharks, no whales, no seals, no coral, etc. However, the diversity of the plankton is critical; that biodiversity cannot be best compressed into just a few groups, yet invariably that is what happens in models," said Flynn.“Additionally, photosynthetic
Strong Winds, Calm Seas
ecosystem by collecting physical and biological data. Parameters like temperature, salinity and oxygen may identify changes in the distribution and abundance of species, stated a press release from RWE. This includes critical contributors like phyto and zooplankton, which play fundamental roles in the food chain but are often overlooked.The demands of the SeaMe project require multiple partners with varied expertise, each covering a special task within the wind farm’s ecosystem, explained Marius Wirtz, Dipl.-Ing. (FH), Engineer at the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) and
SeaMe Project to Leverage AUVs, AI to 'Stand Watch' in Offshore Wind Farms
the impact on marine life.The simultaneous collection of physical and biological data allows for a comprehensive assessment of the marine ecosystem. This includes often overlooked components such as phytoplankton (microscopic algae) and zooplankton (e.g. krill), which play a crucial role in the marine food chain.Further development of the AUV DeepLengIn SeaMe, the DFKI Robotics Innovation Center is further developing the autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) “DeepLeng” to optimize it for monitoring offshore environments. To achieve this, the researchers in Bremen are equipping the AUV with
South African Drought Dust Fueled Record Ocean Bloom
blown over the Indian Ocean from South Africa.This saw phytoplankton levels at three times the level normally expected at the time of year it occurred, spreading from southeast of Madagascar into the wider Indian Ocean for three weeks longer than normal.These marine algae form the basis of the marine food chain and help to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by using it to grow then being eaten or dying and falling as organic matter to the seafloor.NOC co-author Dr. Fatma Jebri, said, "Our study shows how African desert dust being blown over and deposited onto the ocean surface was key in triggering
Using Ocean Robots to Dive into Offshore Wind Farm Wake Effects
today you’re increasingly likely to see offshore wind turbines gently turning on the horizon.These giant structures are supplying an increasing amount of the UK’s electricity mix (<20%), but they could also be mixing up how marine systems function, including the very basis of the oceanic food chain.To find out if they are, ocean robots (known as gliders) have been quietly patrolling an area of the North Sea, downwind of a major wind farm, off Scotland’s east coast.Their task is to gather vast amounts of data, from the seabed to surface, that will allow scientists to build an underwater
New Discoveries: Three Tiny Species Added to South Africa’s Spectacular Marine Life
(Pseudionella pumulaensis).Long-term efforts to identify new species like these guide effective conservation. They help to ensure that critical habitats are protected.These three newly described species may seem small and insignificant individually. However, small species make up the foundation of the food chain and play vital roles in nutrient cycling and in promoting biodiversity.The walking spongeFirst, there’s Suberites ambulodomos, or the “walking sponge”. This animal forms a unique partnership with hermit crabs. It settles on the tiny shell of a very young hermit crab. As the sponge
Sharks in Brazil Test Positive for Cocaine
of sharks, since the liver plays a role in the development of embryos."The scientists collected the samples between September 2021 and August 2023 as they monitored environmental impacts of pollution on marine life.Because sharks were predators, Hauser-Davis said they were central figures in the food chain and were considered "sentinel species" that could provide early warnings about environmental threats to humans.The scientists did not list what effects cocaine and other recreational drugs might have on sharks, although other studies have shown brown trout can become addicted to methamphetamin
Kongsberg Discovery Announces Echo Sounder Upgrade
of biological targets. The 18 kHz transducer is already common on most research vessels, but the wider bandwidth of ES18-11 MK2 can reveal the much richer biological diversity actually present. Findings can be used to fingerprint what species are present, and thus uncover components of the food chain in that area. “Any fish stock that is commercially fished must have a management plan, and the MS18-11 MK2 will help to generate more holistic ecosystem assessments so that authorities can make better stock management decisions,” Andersen says.Understanding life in the water column
Maersk and The Ocean Cleanup Forge Ahead in Plastic Capture
of A.P. Moller Holding and Chair of A.P. Moller – Maersk: “The Ocean Cleanup holds an important mission to remove plastics from the oceans, one of the biggest environmental challenges of our time. Today, plastic pollution impacts hundreds of marine species, and it contaminates the marine food chain with toxic pollutants. With this in mind, Maersk Supply Service, A.P. Moller – Maersk and the A.P. Moller Foundation have decided to extend support to The Ocean Cleanup to finalise and validate their technology and system.”The agreement between Maersk Supply Service, A.P. Moller &ndash
February 2025
