Ecology
SURFO Special: Ocean Color Optics and Imaging: Phytoplankton in Narragansett Bay
What can the color of the ocean tell us about the tiny algae that live in it? SURFO student Taylor…
Tag: Phytoplankton
Remote Sensing
SURFO Special: From outer space to the microscope: How NASA’s satellites are helping us understand the ocean’s smallest life
Every summer, the URI Graduate School of Oceanography hosts undergraduate research interns called SURFOs. In this post learn about how…
Plastic Pollution
Ocean plastic pollution damages bacteria that help us breathe
Every minute, we are dumping a garbage truckload of plastic litter into the ocean. Plastic pollution in the ocean are…
Biological oceanography Chemistry Climate Change Genetics
If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen: An analysis of phytoplankton with changing ocean temperature
If you went to the beach and the water is cold, would you jump in? The same questions pertain to…
Microbiology
What your poop says about your diet: Iron in the ocean is controlled by zooplankton diet and poop
Have you ever had weird colored poop? Just like your poop can tell you what you've been eating lately, zooplankton…
Biological oceanography Climate Change Ecology Fisheries
Winter Cruisin’ on the North Atlantic
Do you wonder what it is like to do oceanographic research aboard a sea-going vessel? What types of research are…
Climate Change
Catch prey while the sun shines – Herring grow bigger when they can see their food
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a sea creature in possession of a home in higher latitudes (further from…
Biogeochemistry Biological oceanography Climate Change Glaciers
Icebergs Fertilize Phytoplankton Growth
Icebergs contain iron, the limiting nutrient for phytoplankton in the polar regions. Icebergs, therefore, have the potential to stimulate biological…
Climate Change
Atmospheric traffic jams halt nutrient flow to ocean phytoplankton
It is known that climate change is influencing our oceans in many direct ways, but what about changes in atmospheric…
Biological oceanography Climate Change Ocean Acidification
Who’s benefiting from increasing CO2?
Bach, L. T., Hernández-Hernández, N., Taucher, J., Spisla, C., Sforna, C., Riebesell, U., & Arístegui, J. (2019). Effects of elevated…
Biological oceanography Physical oceanography Volcanoes
Phytoplankton Bloom Driven by Volcanic Eruption
A large volcanic eruption in 2018 deposited tons of lava into the Pacific Ocean. Scientists were puzzled that the lava-impacted…
Biogeochemistry Physical oceanography
How important is carbon export by ocean eddies?
A recent paper uses an ocean model to investigate the relative importance of carbon sequestration by eddies transporting phytoplankton into…
Biogeochemistry Physical oceanography
Antarctic phytoplankton blooms linked to seafloor topography
A recent study uses observations from robotic floats to examine phytoplankton blooms in the Southern Ocean. The data show that…
Biological oceanography Physical oceanography Remote Sensing
Rugged Southern Ocean phytoplankton weather the storms
Phytoplankton from the "wild west" of the world's oceans have learned to regrow after storms... over and over and over…
Biological oceanography
Small currents influence small creatures
Phytoplankton, the tiny photosynthesizing organisms in the ocean, tend to just go with the flow. Even the smallest currents can…
Biological oceanography Climate Change Physical oceanography Remote Sensing Sea Ice
Phytoplankton Expanding Northward as Arctic Sea Ice Retreats
A recent study uses satellite data to show that Arctic sea ice retreat is causing changes in the timing and…
Biological oceanography
Millennial algae are not as productive: lazy, or less sea ice opportunities?
Why aren't Arctic phytoplankton as productive as they used to be? Is it a lazy millennial thing, or something more…
Book Review
Preparing for Research at Sea: Behind the Scenes
Research at sea is no small feat! Read this guest post by URI GSO SURFO student Anna Ward about her…
Biogeochemistry Climate Change Physical oceanography Sea Ice
Sea Ice Modifies Biological Processes
A recent study investigates the relationship between sea ice variability and phytoplankton growth in climate models. Phytoplankton are responsible for…
Biological oceanography Ecology Harmful Algal Bloom Remote Sensing
Cyanobacteria invasions… from space?
They may not come from space, but they can be seen from up there! Learn how microscopic plants called cyanobacteria…