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18 times to the moon and back – New record breaking distance

06 Nov 2024 | 27

7.5 million nautical miles, 18 times to the moon and back or 655 times the size of the Great Wall of China – this is the new total distance covered by the Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR) Survey, the world’s largest marin...

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Vacancy: Marine Workshop Technician (Mechanical)

14 Oct 2024 | 56

Working as part of the team to ensure that the Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR) Survey fleet and associated equipment is maintained in a safe and serviceable condition ready for deployment at sea to support the CPR Survey....

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Advancing plankton research through new laboratory facilities

03 Oct 2024 | 43

The Marine Biological Association (MBA) is delighted to announce the opening of new laboratories which will further enhance vital planktonic research. The Plankton Taxonomy Laboratory is the new home of the Continuous Pla...

Plymouth scientists play key role in global Plankton Manifesto

24 Sep 2024 | 42

David Johns, Head of the Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR) Survey operated by the Marine Biological Association (MBA) has played an integral role in driving the development of the first ever global Plankton Manifesto.

Staff Spotlight: David Johns

04 Sep 2024 | 37

David Johns is the Director of Research Facilities at the Marine Biological Association (MBA) and has an external role as Chair of the Northeast Atlantic Marine Biological Analytical Quality Control Scheme.

Four leading UK marine research institutions are joining forces to explore the ocean’s role in mitigating climate change.

08 Jul 2024 | 99

Four leading UK marine research institutions are joining forces to explore the ocean’s role in mitigating climate change. The Marine Biological Association (MBA), National Oceanography Centre (NOC), Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML) and the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) are collaborating in the marine science research programme. The Atlantic Climate and Environment Strategic Science (AtlantiS) programme, funded by UKRI – Natural Environment Research Council, supports the UK’s ambition for healthy, biologically diverse, and resilient marine environments, a sustainable blue economy and keeping communities safe from natural hazards.

UN Senior Advisor visits the CPR Survey

11 Mar 2024 | 174

UN Senior Advisor visits the CPR Survey

The science of tomorrow, today

27 Feb 2024 | 277

Advances in technology have enabled the long-awaited transformation of the existing CPR sampler into a modern autonomous platform, revolutionising monitoring capabilities while retaining consistency with the historical data gathered over almost 7 decades. In 2020, the iCPR project was born with a simple mission: ‘use modern sensing technology and introduce Artificial Intelligence (AI) across our existing global plankton observation network’. And, of course, this new platform had to remain simple, robust, and cheap.  The iCPR sampler is equipped with a suite of sensors able to capture the physical performance of the sampler, key environmental variables, and precise digital images of plankton using a bespoke holographic camera. Fitting neatly inside a traditional CPR sampler, the iCPR module transforms it into a self-powered platform able to sample anywhere a commercial ship is operating, with - except for deployment and retrieval - no intervention from the crew. Using the flow of water through the sampler body, two impellers generate electricity: an iCPR sampler needs no batteries and can record data over long periods of time.

New study reveals link between climate change, oceanic circulation and dinoflagellates

05 Feb 2024 | 354

Researchers from the Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR) Survey based at the MBA have led a study to assess the long-term changes in dinoflagellate biomass and biodiversity to see if there is a link to large scale climate patterns and oceanic circulation in the North Atlantic.

Small but mighty – the importance of the ocean’s tiniest inhabitants

01 Feb 2024 | 119

Tiny plankton – measuring less than 20µm (or 0.02mm) in diameter – make up the majority of plankton in the ocean and play a critical role in the planet’s health, according to new research. However, scientists say challenges in identifying them have led to them becoming a silent majority that is currently being overlooked when it comes to global ocean policy.

120 years of collaboration with Cefas

02 Oct 2023 | 219

We recently had the pleasure of welcoming Cefas Chief Executive Neil Hornby and Cefas Chief Scientist, Professor Grant Stentiford. Cefas is a government agency under the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) in the UK. It is primarily responsible for providing scientific expertise and research to support sustainable marine and freshwater environments, fisheries management, and aquaculture. Cefas conducts research on a wide range of topics related to aquatic ecosystems, environmental monitoring, and seafood safety. It plays a critical role in advising the UK government on fisheries and environmental policies.

Vacancy: Plankton Analyst CPR Survey

22 Aug 2023 | 390

Due to increasing workloads, we are looking for Plankton Analysts to work within the Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR) Survey. These are part-time positions and once a comprehensive training programme is successfully completed, you will work as a member of a team carrying out the microscopic analysis of CPR plankton samples, and other associated tasks.

CPR Survey recognised as high priority for sustained ocean observing

14 Aug 2023 | 300

A recent report published by the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) has identified the Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR) Survey as one of the top priorities for sustained ocean observations.

BBC visits the CPR Survey to investigate impact of rising ocean temperatures

07 Aug 2023 | 213

BBC Climate Editor Justin Rowlatt visited the MBA to learn about data collected from the Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR) Survey, the longest running and most geographically extensive marine plankton sampling program in the world

BBC Countryfile visits CPR Survey to learn about ocean warming and plankton, the ‘unsung heroes’ of the sea.

01 Aug 2023 | 144

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.

New partnership will provide technical solutions for plankton recording data

10 Jul 2023 | 209

The CPR Data Infrastructure Project will enable rapid and accurate data entry, analysis, visualisation and publication using global standards for marine biological data.

Opportunity for a technical partner to create cloud-based data management and publication solution

01 May 2023 | 306

Opportunity for a technical partner to create cloud-based data management and publication solution

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

11 Apr 2023 | 324

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.

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

23 Mar 2023 | 268

Using historical abundance data from the CPR Survey from 1958 to 2018, the team assessed plankton composition in terms of functional traits associated with regime shifts which took place in the 1980s and 1996 to 2003. One of the most intriguing results of this work was a relative lack of change in the functional traits of plankton during the 1980s regime shift, despite the clear detection of the event using a variety of other metrics. The results also showed the functional traits of plankton across the whole North Sea changed more after the 1996-2003 regime shift, compared to the 1980s shift. Previous works using different metrics indicated that the two regime shifts were events of similar importance, which differs from the results of this paper.

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

06 Feb 2023 | 335

In this study, researchers analysed key responses of zooplankton to ocean warming, shifts in phenology (study of seasonal changes in the life cycles of plants and animals from year to year), range, body size and other variables. The results revealed there are key knowledge and geographic gaps in monitoring coverage that need to be urgently addressed; and integrating modern and traditional techniques for improved plankton observation could help predict future scenarios under global changes.

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

05 Jan 2023 | 264

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.

Climate change driving changes of plankton in our ocean

15 Nov 2022 | 283

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.

CPR Survey attends PICES North Pacific marine research meeting

31 Oct 2022 | 265

Research Fellow and coordinator of the Pacific Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR) survey, Dr Clare Ostle, represented the CPR Survey at The North Pacific Marine Science Organization (PICES) marine research meeting. Held this year in Busan, South Korea, PICES is a crucial meeting in order to share the latest in North Pacific marine research. PICES is an intergovernmental organisation whose aims are; To promote and coordinate research in the North Pacific. Advance scientific knowledge of the ocean environment, and its ecosystems and impacts. Promote the exchange of scientific research and information on these subjects. As coordinator of the Pacific CPR survey, Clare attended the meeting to present some of CPR’s recent research on potentially harmful microbes and algae found on our CPR new routes in the Bering Sea and Arctic. This important work has been carried out using molecular techniques developed by Dr Rowena Stern and Hannah Robinson, alongside regular CPR sampling. “It was great to see people again and have those face to face discussions and chats about our work that are very difficult to do online.”

Grant received to support the largest marine ecological survey in the world

18 Oct 2022 | 246

The Marine Biological Association (MBA) has been awarded £400,000, which will improve its research facilities, reinforcing its position as leaders in marine science. Trustees from the Garfield Weston Foundation have awarded a grant of £400,000 towards the first phase of the refurbishment and redevelopment project at the MBA’s HQ at Citadel Hill, Plymouth.

Pioneers of plankton research: Alister Hardy; A tribute by John R Dolan

01 Jun 2022 | 433

Alister Hardy is known among plankton researchers for developing and employing his Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR). Hardy used the first version of the CPR during the 1925–1927 Discovery Expedition to the Southern Ocean. However, while the CPR is well known, many plankton researchers today are likely unfamiliar with the story of its genesis and its precursors, as well as the full breadth of Hardy’s contributions to plankton research. As the CPR studies of Hardy have received substantial attention, CPR development and the early surveys will be but briefly covered. The following account is based on both Marshall’s biographical Memoire of Hardy (Marshall, 1986) and Hardy’s articles and books.

Leading the way in laboratory sustainability; first marine biology institute in UK with LEAF accreditation.

22 Nov 2021 | 204

Leading the way in laboratory sustainability; first marine biology institute in UK with LEAF accreditation.

Scientists call on COP26 leaders to listen to the ocean in order to meet climate goals

04 Nov 2021 | 196

Scientists call on COP26 leaders to listen to the ocean in order to meet climate goals

Celebrating 90 years of the Continuous Plankton Recorder Survey

01 Oct 2021 | 317

Celebrating 90 years of the Continuous Plankton Recorder Survey

CPR Survey goes the distance to win a Guinness World Record

31 Dec 2020 | 331

Seventeen times to the moon and back – we’ve set the record for the greatest distance sampled by a marine survey!

Celebrating 60 years of CPR data

06 Jan 2020 | 272

Celebrating 60 years of CPR data

The Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR) Survey has merged with the Marine Biological Association

04 May 2018 | 736

Greater synergies and influence for UK environmental science

Dr Therese Coffey, the Minister for Environment tours SAHFOS

06 Mar 2018 | 510

Dr Therese Coffey, the Minister for Environment tours SAHFOS

SAHFOS Analyst attends 1st EUROBUS working group meeting

29 Jan 2018 | 513

SAHFOS analyst, Martina Brunetta, attends the 1st EUROBUS working group meeting at the Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn of Naples, to discuss the recent European invasion of the copepod Pseudodiaptomus marinus

NASA highlights CPR Survey research - Bacteria thrive as ocean warms

29 Jan 2018 | 525

SAHFOS data and research highlighted as part of NASA Image of the Day

SAHFOS Year of Plankton

22 Jan 2018 | 450

What a great 12 months of plankton!

New paper published with SAHFOS PhD student as lead author

15 Jan 2018 | 453

Plankton indicators show us more than just plankton

SAHFOS contributes to international plastic awareness campaign

02 Nov 2017 | 576

The Ocean Plastic Lab exhibition, featuring SAHFOS and the CPR Survey is now touring the G7 countries, with the aim of increasing engagement on the issue of plastics in the world's oceans.

SAHFOS awarded funding for innovative public engagement project

16 Oct 2017 | 607

Selected by NERC, the Sir Alister Hardy Foundation for Ocean Science (SAHFOS) has been chosen, as part of a new ‘BLUEPRINT' consortium, to build capacity in public engagement with environmental research across the UK.

SAHFOS ‘ocean indicator’ amongst plastic pollution monitoring tools for Round Britain eXXpedition crew

09 Aug 2017 | 709

A re-modelled indicator originally used by Sir Alister Hardy to collect plankton is to be used by the all-female eXXpedition crew to collect ocean plastic pollution samples on their Round Britain voyage

Funding for first system to monitor the hidden dangers of ships ballast

03 Aug 2017 | 530

Innovate UK provides funding for collaboration (including SAHFOS) to develop the first early deduction system to locate invasive non-native species and other harmful components of ships' ballast water

Impacts of marine climate change demonstrated by decade of scientific collaboration

28 Jul 2017 | 535

SAHFOS contributes to a major new publication by the UK Marine Climate Change Impacts Partnership (MCCIP) which demonstrates the important effects climate change is having on UK seas and coastlines.

SAHFOS 2016 Annual Report out now!

24 Jul 2017 | 507

Learn more about the wide-ranging impacts and activities completed by SAHFOS in 2016. Our latest Annual Report is now available.

SAHFOS Climate Change Researchers Put New FlowCam Macro on Trial

17 Jun 2017 | 539

SAHFOS researchers are trialling the new FlowCam Macro as part of their involvement with the EU project AtlantOs.

SAHFOS to host special session on ocean observing systems at science meeting this autumn

02 Jun 2017 | 452

Special session on ocean observing systems at MASTS

New study highlights the importance of long-term ecological monitoring programs

01 Jun 2017 | 773

New study highlights the importance of long-term ecological monitoring programs

‘Viral dark matter’ - Hidden world of giant viruses discovered in seawater

15 May 2017 | 677

The hidden world of giant viruses discovered in seawater

SAHFOS lead paper amongst most downloaded from Global Change Biology in 2016

11 Apr 2017 | 446

The journal, Global Change Biology (GCB), has announced a paper, lead by SAHFOS Researcher Professor Chris Reid, was one of their most downloaded in 2016.

Local school children try their hand as marine biologists for a day in Plymouth as part of British Science Week 2017

07 Apr 2017 | 356

Scientists from two of Plymouth’s leading marine science institutes host 2 days of events for children

UK wildlife calendar reshuffled by climate change

08 Jul 2016 | 543

Climate change is already reshuffling the UK’s wildlife calendar, and it’s likely this will continue into the future

Annual Report 2015 now available

04 Apr 2016 | 529

The 2015 Annual Report is out now. As a showcase of the quantity of research, analysis and projects that have been completed, there are a number of diverse articles inside.

Climate study finds evidence of global shift in the 1980s

24 Nov 2015 | 614

"We demonstrate, based on 72 long time series, that a major change took place in the world centred on 1987 that involved a step change and move to a new regime in a wide range of Earth systems," said Professor Reid.

SAHFOS appoints dynamic new Director

31 Jul 2015 | 698

SAHFOS appoints dynamic new Director SAHFOS, one of the world’s most respected marine science organisations, is delighted to announce the appointment of Dr Willie Wilson as its new Director from 1st September 2015. The appointment was made after an international search and selection process.

CPR sampling in the NE Pacific: In hot water!

06 Jul 2015 | 445

After several years of being cooler than average, the waters of the NE Pacific have been heating up recently. Whitney (2015) reported spring temperatures deviating 3.5 standard deviations from the long-term mean in the oceanic waters of the NE Pacific, covering the transition zone just south of where the CPR transects run.

A new study published in Nature Climate Change

03 Jun 2015 | 558

When global warming rises above the dangerous threshold of 2°C, between 50 and 70% of the global ocean may experience a change in marine biodiversity.

Plymouth marine science centres scoop £1.4 million in funding awards

12 Nov 2014 | 456

SAHFOS has been awarded £396,095 to equip its fleet of Continuous Plankton Recorders (CPRs) with state-of-the-art environment sensors that will measure water temperature, salinity, chlorophyll fluorescence, pH and pCO2.

Refurbishment of the CPR tow point, on-board the Bretagne.

28 Oct 2014 | 484

Brittany Ferries kindly tow the CPR once a month on the Roscoff to Plymouth route. The CPR on this route is fitted with a water sampler that collects samples for DNA analysis.

2013 Annual Report now released

08 Sep 2014 | 399

Our Annual Report is now available to read.

Ecological status report now online

11 Aug 2014 | 389

Our Ecological status report is now available to view online.

More animal plankton after iron fertilisation?

04 Jun 2014 | 513

In the wake of a controversial iron fertilisation 'experiment' off the coast of Canada, plankton scientists have noted a higher than average abundance of copepods - crustaceans that form an important food source for many marine creatures higher up food chains, including fish.

Challenger Conference for Marine Science

01 Jun 2014 | 405

The Challenger Conference for Marine Science is taking place on Monday, September 08, 2014

AWI-SAHFOS Time Series Summer School on time series observations

01 Jun 2014 | 415

SAHFOS together with AWI is organising a summer school on time series analysis, as a tool to assess the ecological and societal implications of climate change.

New Open Access Repository for SAHFOS Research

01 May 2014 | 386

Research output from SAHFOS scientists is now available in a new open access repository, the Plymouth Marine Science Electronic Archive (PlyMSEA), which is shared by SAHFOS partners - the Marine Biological Association of the UK (MBA) and Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML).

Climate IPCC Change 2014: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability

02 Apr 2014 | 509

Members of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Working Group II published their first update in seven years on the scale of impacts, adaptations and vulnerabilities to climate change.