Kelp forests show resilience to disturbance – but warming seas may slow recovery
Kelp forests along the UK coastline are more resilient to disturbance than previously thought, according to a MBA study recently published in the Journal of Ecology.
Coastal Ecology
UK invited to compete in nationwide rock pooling challenge with prizes up for grabs
Communities across the UK are invited to join in with a nationwide rock pooling competition this spring, with the Big Rock Pool Challenge National BioBlitz 2026. Combining marine species discovery with competitive wildlife recording, the event brings people of all ages and backgrounds together with the common aim of exploring and recording the incredible biodiversity of our coastal shores.
Unlocking the value of biodiversity: report highlights economic impact of the Darwin Tree of Life project
A new economic analysis has shown that sequencing the DNA of all complex life in the UK and Ireland could deliver up to almost £3 billion in benefits to the economy over the next 30 years, with wide‑ranging impacts across agriculture, conservation, and research and innovation.
MBA welcomes Dr Amy Courtney as our new Anne Warner Research Fellow
The Marine Biological Association (MBA) is delighted to welcome Dr Amy Courtney as our new Anne Warner Research Fellow, strengthening the MBA’s internationally recognised programme of discovery science and its long tradition of using marine life to unlock fundamental biological insights. Amy is an evolutionary neuroscientist whose work explores one of biology’s most fascinating questions: … Read more
Essex University students explore marine life hands-on at the MBA
The Marine Biological Association (MBA) recently welcomed a group of students from the University of Essex to Plymouth for a day of immersive fieldwork, lab exploration, and rocky shore discovery in an experience that they variously described as “inspiring”, “eye‑opening”, and “transformative” for their ambitions to pursue a career in marine science.
Marine Licence granted for pioneering kelp restoration project
A new marine licence has been approved for an innovative project aiming to revive British kelp beds. This is the first time the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) have granted a marine licence for kelp restoration activities in the UK. Kelp forests are vital to marine ecosystems providing habitat, food, and breeding grounds for marine species, … Read more
MBA welcomes passing of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Bill and its entry into UK Law
The Marine Biological Association (MBA) welcomes the news that the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement has now become UK law, having received Royal Assent. This marks the completion of the UK legislative process required to ratify and implement the landmark High Seas Treaty.
Celebrating the legacy of pioneering women in science at the MBA
For more than a century, women at the Marine Biological Association (MBA) have shaped the global understanding of life in the ocean. From the early 1900s – when women in science faced significant social and institutional barriers – to the present day, these researchers have driven discovery, advanced methods, and built the foundations of modern marine biology. This International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we celebrate the achievements of our female scientists past and present.
Young rock poolers discover rare Mediterranean sea hare species on Plymouth shore
A very unusual marine discovery has been made at Plymouth’s Mount Batten Beach during The Rock Pool Project’s monthly BioBlitz Battle. Two keen young rock poolers taking part in the citizen science event found specimens of the depilatory sea hare (Aplysia depilans), a species usually only seen in the Mediterranean and East Atlantic.
MBA researchers reveal climate change threat to kelp forest ecosystems
A new study co-authored by the Marine Biological Association’s Senior Research Fellow Dr Dan Smale, Lankester Research Fellow Professor Stephen J. Hawkins, Postdoctoral Research Assistant Dr Nathan King, and former PhD student Harry Teagle, has revealed how the loss of kelp forests at their southern range edge could dramatically reshape marine ecosystems. Dense patches of … Read more
