09/14/2026
At the end of the summer, FLBS scientists returned to the ocean, this time in the North Atlantic.
The ocean margins are some of Earth’s most biologically productive regions but are poorly represented in global climate and carbon cycle models. As the nexus between land, nearshore ecosystems and the open water column of the ocean, these regions are sensitive to biogeochemical impacts that have cascading effects on ecosystem functioning and ocean health, both locally and globally. At the same time, they provide critical ecosystem services to coastal populations.
Working in collaboration with 50 international researchers from 15 universities and science institutions, FLBS Professor Matt Church and FLBS Research Technician Katie Coates are making an impact through the Ocean Margins Initiative (OMI).
Thanks to support from Schmidt Sciences’ Ocean Biogeochemistry Virtual Institute, the overarching goal of OMI is to assess and incorporate the effects of an upwelling coastal margin on the basin-wide biogeochemistry.
The study will also assess global and local effects on the coastal zone, which directly impacts coastal societies. Though the research will focus on one site, the longer-term view is to create a framework that can be applied to other regions.
For more info about the initiative, visit the OMI website at https://oceanmargins.org
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