Science Group
Marine Biogeochemistry and Observations
Developing our understanding of key marine biogeochemical processes and their multiple exchanges with terrestrial, atmospheric and benthic environments.
The ‘Marine Biogeochemistry and Observations (MBO)’ group explores the natural variability and the impact of man's activities on the marine environment from local to global scales.
Boasting a wealth of expertise, datasets and hardware that span local, regional and basin scales, the team has a truly pole-to-pole capability.
The group’s areas of focus include:
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Understanding the key processes in the biogeochemical cycling of organic and inorganic carbon and nutrients in contrasting environments, the factors controlling them and the fluxes between different systems
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Identifying how the composition and cleanliness of marine air varies over time and space
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Seeking ways to better inform clean air legislation on sulphur and nitrogen gases, and particulates
Penlee Point Observatory
The Penlee Point Atmospheric Observatory (PPAO) was established by PML in 2014 for long-term observations of ocean-atmosphere interaction and forms part of the Western Channel Observatory.
PML Project pages
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A multidisciplinary study of DMSP production and lysis - from enzymes to organisms to process modelling
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An Alternative Framework to Assess Marine Ecosystem Functioning in Shelf Seas (AlterEco)
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Artificial Light in Coastal Ecosystems (ALICE)
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Atlantic Ecosystem Assessment, Forecasting and Sustainability (AtlantECO)
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Atlantic Meridional Transect (AMT)
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Atlantic Meridional Transect Ocean Flux from Satellite Campaign (AMT4OceanSatFlux)
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Atmospheric Composition and Radiative forcing changes due to UN International Ship Emissions regulations (ACRUISE)
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Biological cycling of N-osmolytes in the surface ocean (N-osmolytes)
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Environmental Monitoring at Calstock flood defence improvement scheme
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Is bacterial DMS consumption dependent on methylamines in marine waters?
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Land ocean carbon transfer (LOCATE)
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North Atlantic climate system integrated study (ACSIS)
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N-OSmolytes Across the Surface Southern Ocean: Environmental Drivers and Bioinformatics
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Ocean Regulation of Climate through Heat and Carbon Sequestration and Transports (ORCHESTRA)
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Pathways and emissions of climate-relevant trace gases in a changing Arctic Ocean (PETRA)
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S-3 EUROHAB - Sentinel products for detecting EUtROphication and Harmful Algal Bloom events
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SCIPPER: Shipping Contributions to Inland Pollution Push for the Enforcement of Regulations
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South Asian Nitrogen Hub
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Western Channel Observatory (WCO)
Latest publications
- Smyth, TJ; Deakin, A; Pewter, J; Snee, D; Proud, R; Verbeek, R; Verhagen, V; Paschinger, P; Bell, TG; Fishwick, J; Yang, M; 2023. Faster, Better, Cheaper: Solutions to the Atmospheric Shipping Emission Compliance and Attribution Conundrum . Atmosphere.
- Jones, RL; Meredith, MP; Lohan, MC; Woodward, EMS; Van Landeghem, K; Retallick, K; Flanagan, O; Vora, M; Annett, AL; 2023. Continued glacial retreat linked to changing macronutrient supply along the West Antarctic Peninsula . Marine Chemistry.
- Stern, R; Picard, K; Clarke, J; Walker, CE; Martins, C; Marshall, C.; Amorim, AL; Woodward, EMS; Widdicombe, CE; Tarran, GA; Edwards, M; 2023. Composition and Patterns of Taxa Assemblages in the Western Channel Assessed by 18S Sequencing, Microscopy and Flow Cytometry . Journal of Marine Science and Engineering.
- Airs, RL; Beale, R; Polimene, L; Chen, Y; Mausz, MA; Scanlan, DJ; Widdicombe, CE; Tarran, GA; Woodward, EMS; Harris, C; McEvoy, AJ; 2022. Seasonal measurements of the nitrogenous osmolyte glycine betaine in marine temperate coastal waters . Biogeochemistry.
- Smyth, TJ; Wright, AE; Edwards-Jones, A; McKee, D; Queiros, AM; Rendon, O; Tidau, S; Davies, TW; 2022. Disruption of marine habitats by artificial light at night from global coastal megacities . Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene.
- Weiss, EL; Cape, MR; Pan, BJ; Vernet, M; James, CC; Smyth, TJ; Ha, SY; Iriarte, JL; Mitchell, BG; 2022. The distribution of mycosporine-like amino acids in phytoplankton across a Southern Ocean transect . Frontiers in Marine Science.
- Loveday, BR; Smyth, TJ; Akpınar, A; Hull, T; Inall, ME; Kaiser, Jan; Queste, BY; Tobermann, M; Williams, CAJ; Palmer, MR; 2022. Application of a new net primary production methodology: a daily to annual-scale data set for the North Sea, derived from autonomous underwater gliders and satellite Earth observation . Earth System Science Data.
- Ward, JPJ; Hendry, KR; Arndt, S; Faust, JC; Freitas, FS; Henley, SF; Krause, JW; Marz, C; Tessin, AC; Airs, RL; 2022. Benthic silicon cycling in the Arctic Barents Sea: a reaction–transport model study . Biogeosciences.
- McMahon, O; Smyth, TJ; Davies, TW; 2022. Broad spectrum artificial light at night increases the conspicuousness of camouflaged prey . Journal of Applied Ecology.
- Sims, RP; Bedington, M; Schuster, U; Watson, AJ; Kitidis, V; Torres, R; Findlay, HS; Fishwick, J; Brown, IJ; Bell, TG; 2022. Tidal mixing of estuarine and coastal waters in the western English Channel is a control on spatial and temporal variability in seawater CO2; . Biogeosciences.
People who work in this area of research
Dr Ruth Airs
Marine Biogeochemist and Head of Postgraduate Studies
ruai@pml.ac.uk
Professor Tom Bell
Ocean-atmosphere biogeochemist
tbe@pml.ac.uk
Dr Sarah Breimann
Analytical chemist
sabr@pml.ac.uk
Ian Brown
Marine Chemist
iaian2@pml.ac.uk
Jasmin Dorinda
PhD student
jaur@pml.ac.uk
Dr James Fishwick
Head of Smart Sound Plymouth and Head of Operations and Technology, Western Channel Observatory
jrfi@pml.ac.uk
Carolyn Harris
Analytical Chemist
caha@pml.ac.uk
Dr Frances E. Hopkins
Marine biogeochemist
fhop@pml.ac.uk
Dr Vassilis Kitidis
Marine biogeochemist
vak@pml.ac.uk
Jani Pewter
Instrument and Data Technician
Dr Andy Rees
Marine biogeochemist
apre@pml.ac.uk
Dr Tim Smyth
Head of Science - Marine Biogeochemistry and Observations
tjsm@pml.ac.uk
Dr Glen Tarran
Marine microbial ecologist
gat@pml.ac.uk
E. Malcolm S. Woodward
Chemical oceanographer
emsw@pml.ac.uk
Dr Ming-Xi Yang
Chemical Oceanographer
miya@pml.ac.uk
