BBC Countryfile visits Marine Biological Association to learn about ocean warming and plankton, the ‘unsung heroes’ of the sea.

With 2023 on track to be the hottest year on record, scientists are working to understand and predict how these extreme temperatures will affect marine life. BBC Countryfile visited the Marine Biological Association (MBA) to discover how plankton are an essential part of life both above and below the waves, and how warming temperatures will affect … Read more

New partnership will provide technical solutions for plankton recording data

The Marine Biological Association (MBA) is excited to announce the start of a new project which will help meet the operational needs of the Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR) Survey. The CPR Data Infrastructure Project will enable rapid and accurate data entry, analysis, visualisation and publication using global standards for marine biological data. The MBA has … Read more

CPR Survey announces opportunity for technical partner

The Marine Biological Association is excited to announce an opportunity for a technical partner to produce a cloud-based data management and publication solution to meet the operational needs of the CPR Survey.  The solution will enable rapid and accurate data entry, analysis, visualisation and publication using global standards for marine biological data.  Driven by almost … Read more

Plankton modelling system forecasts important shifts in phenology and community composition in the North Atlantic Ocean

Significant changes in plankton abundance and seasonality due to global climate change could alter the biological carbon pump in the ocean, according to new research. Current Earth System Models (ESMs) used by the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) are projecting a decline in phytoplankton (plant plankton) abundance, and predict large seasonal shifts that may … Read more

Innovative approach for analysing historical data reveals new understanding of plankton regime shifts in the North Sea

Scientists have explained that different methods of plankton analysis could give us a greater understanding of plankton regime shifts, and their impact on the marine ecosystem. Plankton are a diverse collection of tiny organisms found in water. They are a vital food source for many organisms and their activity in the ocean helps regulate the … Read more

Continued plankton research crucial to predict the future of ocean life in a changing climate

Gaps in plankton monitoring need to be urgently addressed to assess the impact of climate change on marine life, according to researchers.  Scientists from the Marine Biological Association (MBA) and over 20 universities and research institutions across the world say more work needs to be done to untangle the climate-driven environmental impacts on plankton. Plankton are a diverse collection … Read more

Plankton could hold key for understanding link between ocean pollution and human health

Plankton may offer a way to monitor historical marine pollution trends, and could be used to predict trends in human health, according to new research. Using samples from the Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR) Survey, an international team of scientists have suggested that rising levels of manmade chemicals found in the ocean could be used to … Read more

Annual Science Talk and Annual General Meeting – November 22nd

The Annual General Meeting (AGM) is how you, as a member, get to have your say in the running of The Marine Biological Association. You have the right to vote for those responsible for overseeing the delivery of our core aims and objectives as outlined in our Royal Charter. This years meeting will be taking place on the … Read more

Climate change driving changes of plankton in our ocean

Scientists have discovered that the heating up of the North Atlantic is causing plankton to shift and change in abundance, indicating a threat to the earth’s climate. Dr Clare Ostle, Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR) Research Fellow and Pacific Coordinator from the Marine Biological Association (MBA) led a study which reveals the transforming levels of plankton … Read more