‘The Language of Life’ disrupted by climate change

Climate change is disrupting essential chemical communication processes between organisms – “the language of life’ – in all types of the Earth’s ecosystems according to a new opinion paper co-authored...

“Record-Breaking” North Atlantic ocean temperatures: PML Scientists Respond

Global average sea surface temperatures reached “unprecedented levels” for June, according to Copernicus (EU’s Earth Observation programme)

ACTOM Decision Support Tool

AMT19 Cruise Report

AMT19, the second in the series of cruises funded by the Oceans 2025 programme set sail from the UK on 13 October 2009 and arrived in Chile on 1 December...

Antarctic krill use hotspots for spawning and nursery of their young

New research, published today in PLOS ONE and led by PML, has shown how Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba), a key species in the Southern Ocean food web, choose different areas...

APICS

The Automated, in situ Plankton Imaging and Classification System (APICS) will radically improve the understanding of how environmental changes are affecting plankton, the microscopic organisms at the foundation of the...

Arctic phytoplankton face competition in warming seas

As Arctic seas warm, important phytoplankton communities could find themselves competing for nutrients with encroaching Atlantic species, suggests new research from Plymouth Marine Laboratory.

Are we underestimating microplastics in the marine environment

A new study, led by Plymouth Marine Laboratory, suggests an underestimation of microplastics in the ocean.

Assessment of the environmental, ecosystem, and human activities in coastal Vietnam and Cambodia gathered from satellite remote sensing

The NERC-funded National Capability project: Addressing Challenges of Coastal Communities through Ocean Research for Developing Economies (ACCORD) is a consortium project that aimed to deliver high-quality science outcomes required to...

BIO-PLASTIC-RISK: Biodegradable Bioplastics – Assessing Environmental Risk

Biodegradable bioplastics (BBPs) offer promising solutions to the global plastic pollution challenge. However, our understanding of their fate in the natural environment and potential environmental effects is limited. The Bio-Risk...

Biological Pump and Carbon Exchange Processes (BICEP)

Project start: January 2020 – currently ongoing The ocean carbon cycle is a vital part of the global carbon cycle. It has been estimated that around a quarter of anthropogenically-produced...

Celebrating the International Day of Biological Diversity

Monday 22nd May marks the “International Day of Biological Diversity’, a day sanctioned by the United Nations for the promotion of biodiversity issues.

Characterisation of the inshore marine sectors of Da Nang, Vietnam

Da Nang is a pioneer site in Southeast Asia for the implementation of Integrated Coastal Management and the first city in Vietnam to become an Environmental City in 2020. At...

Choosy copepods avoid microplastic-shaped algae

With concerns around the presence of microplastics in the environment growing, two new research papers from Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML) and partner research institutes in the UK and Norway have...

Climate change has degraded productivity of shelf sea food webs

A shortage of summer nutrients as a result of our changing climate has contributed to a 50% decline in important North East Atlantic plankton over the past 60 years.

Climate Change to Reshape European Fisheries: New Study Maps “Winners and Losers”

First multi-model analysis shows dramatic shifts in commercial fish stocks by the end of the century

Coastal cities expose seafloor to dangerous light pollution

The global expansion of coastal cities could leave more than three quarters of their neighbouring seafloor exposed to potentially harmful levels of light pollution.

Coastweb news

COMFORT project looks to future of the ocean

A new EU Horizon 2020 project, involving PML researchers, is kicking off this week, aiming to detect and minimise climate change in the oceans by focussing on global ecosystems tipping...

Cooperation between countries could reduce marine plastic pollution in the North Atlantic but with unequal economic benefits

A new study shows cross-country collaboration in tackling marine plastic pollution yields significant economic and environmental returns, which could be up to $36B with a 64% reduction in emitted plastic...

Cooperation to tackle plastic pollution

PML researchers will be contributing to a new research project aiming to inspire international action to tackle marine plastic pollution.

Crucial environmental benefits of Solent coast

The Solent’s coastal habitats provide the equivalent of over £1.1 billion in environmental benefits every year, according to a new study by researchers from the University of Portsmouth and Plymouth...

DEAL: DEcentrAlised Learning for automated image analysis and biodiversity monitoring

DEAL will create an application that allows owners of biological image data to participate in decentralised, collaborative networks, where they can leverage the data and expertise of all participants to...

Dr Gavin H Tilstone

Dr Gavin Tilstone is a Merit Scientist with over 25 years’ experience in the fields of Inherent and Apparent Optical properties, phytoplankton, photosynthesis, primary production, ocean colour remote sensing. He...

Dr Lee de Mora

Dr de Mora is a marine ecosystem modeller with an focus on the development, operational monitoring and scientific evaluation and of global scale models of the Earth System. In the...

Dr Mahasweta Saha

I am a senior scientist and a chemical ecologist at PML with a passion to investigate “language of life’ in our oceans. Over the years I have developed an expertise...

DREAMS – Decommissioning – Relative Effects of Alternative Management Strategies

The highly integrated DREAMS project is designed to bring together information about the effects of man-made structures on the marine ecosystem and the benefits that it provides for humans.

Emissions of unexpected gases from marine life affect the air and climate over the poles

A new study reveals that trace atmospheric gases thought to be pollutants are also produced by marine plankton and emitted by the ocean, with potential climatic effects.

Environmental Monitoring at Calstock flood defence improvement scheme

Measuring the effects of new Calstock intertidal wetland on water biogeochemistry

External data products

Focus on diver safety for pilot app

e-shape (EuroGEOSS Showcases: Applications Powered by Europe), a new project coordinated by ARMINES and funded under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Programme was successfully launched in Cannes, France on 9-10...

Focus on polar oceans in new report

A report on the Earth’s cryosphere (ice and snow, including the polar oceans) by a group of leading scientists highlights the urgent need to limit global temperature increase to 1.5°C...

FOCUS ON: Offshore Wind

PML scientists investigate the impacts of windfarm developments on marine life

FOCUS: Future States of the global Coastal ocean: Understanding for Solutions

The Future states Of the global Coastal ocean: Understanding for Solutions (FOCUS) project is working to understand how climate change and human activities are impacting coastal seas worldwide.

Funding secured for automated image-analysis biodiversity monitoring project

The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) has announced funding for a new project proposed by our Dr James Clark and collaborators, to develop software systems to improve biodiversity monitoring by...

Global effort to investigate climate change using satellites

PML researchers have contributed to a paper describing a new satellite-derived wave height dataset and produced research highlighting an innovative procedure for validating results of such studies.

Harnessing plankton research to inform next generation climate models 

An international publication led by Plymouth Marine Laboratory highlights how upgrading current plankton models is critical to understanding the scale of global climate issues. 

Has reducing ship exhaust pollution accelerated global warming?

A new study explored the climate effect of the mandated reduction of sulphur in ship exhaust emissions globally since 2020. Highly relevant to international policy, the study suggests that the...

How eddies enhance the absorption of carbon: a South Atlantic Ocean study

An oceanic phenomena: investigating the effects of “mesoscale eddies’ on the air-sea CO2 sink in the South Atlantic Ocean

How healthy is the North-East Atlantic? Findings from the 2023 OSPAR Quality Status Report

PML scientists have played leading and contributing roles to assessment reports on the health and status of the North-East Atlantic, published today (13th September 2023) in the OSPAR Quality Status...

How plastic pollution may influence antimicrobial resistance

New study reveals an alarming number of mechanisms throughout the life-cycle of plastic that could enhance or spread antimicrobial resistance.

How will global warming and emissions affect the Earth’s carbon cycle?

PML scientists have led a new publication that has shown that the carbon cycle (the direction, flow and destination of carbon between Earth’s carbon pools, such as the ocean, atmosphere,...

Impacts of flooding on coastal water quality from sewage, agricultural and industrial effluent

A new two-year project, named Vis4Sea, has been granted funding to measure the impacts of flooding on water quality in the Plymouth Sound and the wider Western Channel Observatory with...

Improving assessment of wave height near the coast

Researchers at PML have created an innovative methodology to compare the accuracy of different satellite radar technologies in producing wave height data in coastal areas.

International fishery and aquaculture research project published synthesis report

The international fishery and aquaculture research project CERES (Climate change and European aquatic resources) recently published its final, synthesis report. The report focuses on the most commercially valuable fish and...

International research warns of significant impact of global warming on biodiversity in European

New study shows an unprecedented redistribution of marine ecosystems as a result of ocean warming that may have important economic and social consequences.

Is the Southern Ocean absorbing more CO2 than previously thought

New research led by the University of East Anglia (UEA) and Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML) has found that the Southern Ocean absorbs more carbon dioxide (CO2) than previously thought.

Krill and carbon

Large krill swarms in the Southern Ocean could help remove additional carbon from the atmosphere, in a way that is currently “hidden’ in global models. The new study is published...

Light threat is not so light for some static marine organisms

New study reveals harmful influence of artificial light at night on the immobile species, the snakelocks anemone. This beautiful sea creature provides shelter and feeding grounds for various small marine...

Major intercomparison of optical measurements set to revolutionise data processing for satellite ocean colour validation

A team of ocean optics experts, led by Plymouth Marine Laboratory, evaluated the accuracy of above-water optical sensors, using a community-developed processor, to produce the highest quality data for satellite...

Major new report confirms just 2°C of warming will trigger irreversible global damage

Our Professor Helen Findlay, along with over 60 other leading cryosphere experts, contributed the latest in scientific research to inform the State of the Cryosphere Report. The report shows that...

Malaysia and Selangor Mangrove Policy Mapping and Analysis

This report presents an overview of a policy mapping activity which considers local, state, federal and international plans, laws, policies and directives that influence the conservation and management of mangroves...

Marine Protected Area ‘not safe’ from climate change, projections show

Computer models forecast a worrying future for the Ascension Island Marine Protected Area.

Massive biological shifts in the global ocean

A new study shows how a warming ocean has led to unprecedented marine biological changes at the global level over the last decade, and that future changes will be stronger...

MEDIA: 1000s of plastic tubes wash up on beaches

Emily Stevenson, PhD researcher at PML and the University of Exeter, featured on BBC Spotlight over the weekend investigating thousands of plastic tubes found washed up on beaches near Falmouth.

Megacities out-shine the moon in coastal environments according to the first quantification of artif

Coastal megacities could be illuminating the marine environment up to six times more than the moon but is often not considered when reviewing stressors on coastal ecosystems, according to new...

Mesocosm

The Mesocosm facility enables scientists to conduct research in a controlled aquatic environment which closely simulates natural conditions.

Microfibres shown to stunt mussel growth

Polyester microfibres shown to inhibit growth in mussels by about a third in first-of-its-kind experiment.

Microplastic research round-up

There has been a flurry of microplastic research papers involving Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML) scientists published over the last month.

Monitoring marine biodiversity from space

PML has worked with the European Space Agency (ESA) for a number of decades, building a strong collaborative relationship on Earth observation research.

Monitoring water quality in Plymouth Sound and beyond

Initial fieldwork results are shared from a project aiming to transform water quality monitoring around the globe.

Natural capital at the heart of decision making: how the SWEEP project changed the South West for th

The South West Partnership for Environmental and Economic Prosperity (SWEEP) project ran from 2017 – 2022, here we celebrate its impact to the benefit of the environment, society and economy...

New project links climate change, marine biodiversity and ecosystem services

FutureMARES is an EU-funded research project examining the relations between climate change, marine biodiversity and ecosystem services. It hosted its kick-off meeting online through 22-24 September.

New research shows stricter regulation is needed on the fate of legacy, toxic antifouling treatments

Recently published research provides clear evidence of the negative effect antifouling paint particles can have on marine organisms that live in or on the seabed.

New study provides vital insight for climate-smart marine planning in UK waters

The most advanced and comprehensive analysis of climate change impacts on the UK’s marine environment, in support of effective marine conservation and economic growth, has been published.

New study reveals global ‘Ocean Darkening’ threatens marine life  

A new study co-led by PML’s Professor Tim Smyth has revealed a 21% reduction in sunlight zones vital for life in the sea.

New study shows plastic and non-stick cookware is likely adding thousands of microplastics into the

A new collaborative study from scientists at Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML), NORCE Norwegian Research Centre, SALT Lofoten and the Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA) has shown that plastic and...

North East Atlantic hub of the Global Ocean Acidification Observing Network

Novel bacterial gene makes new step in the nitrogen cycle

A newly discovered component of the nitrogen cycle could shed light on marine greenhouse gas emissions and their role in climate change, according to a study from Plymouth Marine Laboratory...

NOW AVAILABLE: Latest zooplankton abundance data from the Western Channel Observatory L4 site between 1988-2023

The Western Channel Observatory team have recently published the latest data on zooplankton abundance up to 2023 at the L4 coastal sampling site, which is seven nautical miles south west...

Offshore wind farms: new paper reveals global impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services

To help meet net-zero emission targets by 2050, it is estimated that there will need to be a drastic increase in the development of offshore windfarms across the world. As...

Once-in-a-decade review on observing sea states

“Sea states”, or wave conditions, have been observed for centuries in ships’ logs and other historical documents. Now new technologies allow for long-term, precise measurements that can help with activities...

Our research to protect mangrove ecosystems

Yesterday (26th July) we celebrated The International Day for the Conservation of Mangroves by sharing information about these incredible ecosystems and their amazing qualities that benefit wider ecosystems, as well...

Pioneering Ocean Carbon Removal technique proves successful in pilot study

The trial off St Ives Bay in Cornwall involved adding magnesium hydroxide to wastewater.

Plymouth Marine Laboratory lead study identifying variations in South Atlantic air-sea CO2 flux

Plymouth Marine Laboratory has led on a study to identify the biological control of the interannual and long-term variations in South Atlantic air-sea CO2 flux.

PML scientist announced as new Chair of intergovernmental working group

We are thrilled to share the news that Dr Sevrine Sailley, Ecosystem Modeller at Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML), has been appointed Chair for the International Council for the Exploration of...

PML scientists contribute to tackling the nitrogen pollution challenge

Last week three PML scientists attended the annual meeting of the UKRI GCRF South Asian Nitrogen Hub at the Maldives National University, to present their latest research on the global...

PML supporting largest ever survey of carbon stored in coastal seascapes

Scientists from Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML) are part of team of world-class ocean and blue carbon experts taking part of ambitious five-year global research programme to build a greater understanding...

PML tests new plankton imaging tech – see the plankton photos it captured!

Our scientists took our new Imaging FlowCytobot down to the local Millbay Marina last week for our first-ever test of the equipment in real sea conditions. Despite the murky waters,...

PML’s Prof. Pennie Lindeque wins Volvo Environment Prize 2022 as part of a Southwest microplastics r

Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML) is delighted to announce that Prof. Pennie Lindeque, Head of Science for Marine Ecology and Biodiversity at PML, has been named as one of three laureates...

ProBleu: Promoting ocean and water literacy in school communities

ProBleu aims to mobilise and engage students, school communities, and the wider community across the EU and associated countries to enhance understanding, stewardship, and literacy about oceans and waters, with...

Project ProBleu: Promoting ocean and water literacy in school communities

Plymouth Marine Laboratory have joined forces with the Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM-CSIC) and four other partners to deliver project ProBleu: to expand and support the Network of European Blue...

Projections show that the seas of Southeast Asia may warm by 1.1 to 2.9°C through the 21st century

Modelling study highlights potential effects of climate change on marine ecosystems in Southeast Asian seas.

Protecting the ocean through marine net gain

Recent research undertaken by Plymouth Marine Laboratory scientists has revealed several key insights from offshore windfarm stakeholders, in relation to the development of marine net gain policy and implementation.

Protecting valuable aquatic ecosystems through improved satellite monitoring of water quality

The PML-led ‘Copernicus Evolution – Research for harmonised and Transitional water Observation (CERTO)’ project has been showcased in the latest European Commission CORDIS Results Pack. It highlights how the project...

Safeguarding marine animals amid the UK’s offshore wind energy expansion 

PML’s Dr Peter Miller’s research on the relationship between ocean fronts and biodiversity hotspots has been cited in the 2024 Offshore Wind Report by The Crown Estate. 

Science with impact at PML

In the latest assessment of the UK’s research centres, released today, Plymouth Marine Laboratory has been shown to excel in the quality and real-world impact of its science, with a...

Seabed carbon stores threatened by climate change and human activity

New research suggests that some marine organisms are unable to cope with increasing carbon dioxide and low oxygen events simultaneously, providing fresh understanding of the impacts of multiple stressors on...

Seaweed, seagrass and sea temperature

With marine heatwaves expected to increase in frequency and intensity due to climate change, new research from researchers at PML, the Scottish Association for Marine Science, University of Exeter and...

Ship exhaust emissions can alter the behaviour of clouds

Emissions from ship exhausts can have a major impact on air pollution, weather and climate, however until relatively recently these have been largely unregulated, particularly in international waters.

Spotted! Floating Plastic Litter Detected and Categorised Using Artificial Intelligence (AI)

A new AI technique pioneered by scientists at PML uses images from a vessel-mounted camera to identify different types of marine plastic.

Staff spotlight: Dr Sevrine Sailley – Ecosystem modeller 

Meet Dr Sevrine Sailley, who uses computer models to estimate how marine ecosystems may change in the future, to help society make more informed decisions in the now. From estimating...

Staff spotlight: Georgina Ramm – Deputy Skipper

To mark “International Day of Women and Girls in Science‘, we wanted to share the story of our “Deputy Skipper’ Georgina Ramm, who has joined what has been – and...

Step change for PML’s remote sensing capabilities with new, cutting-edge drone technology 

A state-of-the-art environmental survey drone has been procured to provide advanced environmental survey capabilities in shallow, dynamic and hard-to-reach coastal waters. 

Student spotlight: Charlotte Woodhouse

Did you know that rubber particles broken off from the wear and tear of vehicle tyres are a major source of marine plastic pollution? How does this affect marine ecosystems?...

Study finds that climate change may make marine management initiatives unsustainable but bright spot

Researchers from six countries have investigated the impact of climate change on strategies designed to ensure the sustainable use of marine resources by multiple users.

Superyacht Science: How luxury boat owners are supporting global marine research

In their quest to improve our understanding of the changes taking place in the world’s oceans, leading scientists from Plymouth Marine Laboratory and the University of Exeter have found new...

The Economics of Marine Plastic Pollution: What are the Benefits of International Cooperation

The Economics of Marine Plastic Pollution: What are the Benefits of International Cooperation? project is calculating the economic costs of the environmental damages associated with marine plastic and the benefits...

The One Ocean Expedition

The Statsraad Lehmkuhl embarks on a new grand voyage with One Ocean Expedition 2025-2026, with PML scientists Dr Saskia Rühl and Professor Steve Widdicombe onboard. Dates: April 2025 – April 2026...

The Role of Climate-Smart Marine Protected Areas in Achieving 30×30

PML’s Professor Ana M Queirós has co-authored a landmark new report, released today, which explores how climate change mitigation, adaptation and resilience can be integrated into the design and placement of Marine...

The sonification of marine heatwaves

“Sonification’ is a term to describe the musical representation of data, and here, we share a sonification using projected model data of the future of the Ascension Island Marine Protected...

The State of South-West Seas in 2021

Plymouth Marine Laboratory has contributed to the eighth report in the series, which brings the marine and coastal community together to record changes in local seas.

Thecla Keizer

An innovative and results led international affairs & marketing professional with over 24 years of experience in both the private and public sector. In her current role at PML she...

Top of its class for automated plankton identification

New research has been published in the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) Access journal showing that combining Deep Learning models can significantly increase the accuracy of existing automated...

TYRE-LOSS: Lost at Sea – where are all the tyre particles?

Tyre particles are increasingly recognised as a potentially major source of microplastic pollution, yet limited data exists on their accumulation and risks in the marine environments. The TYRE-LOSS project is...

UK fishing community shares its views on offshore wind

Preliminary results from our survey on the impacts of offshore wind farms on commercial fishing in the UK. There is still time to share your views, with the survey closing...

Uncovering the mysteries of marine snow

Scientists working in the UK and France have found that a hidden process is limiting our oceans’ capacity to absorb carbon dioxide.

Undermeasured compound could help resilience against climate change in key coa

New study helps improve understanding of the interplay between species domination, competitive advantage and changing environmental factors relevant to climate change.

Update from our Dr Glen Tarran on the Antarctic PICCOLO expedition

Our Marine microbial ecologist Dr Glen Tarran is one of the PML scientists onboard the RRS Sir David Attenborough, which is currently navigating the Antarctic for the PICCOLO research expedition....

Using drone footage to map invasive species: managing the expansion of wild Pacific oysters

A new study led by PML scientists has, for the first time, explored the use of drones and deep learning to detect, count and map Pacific oysters – an invasive...

Using remote sensing technologies to understand the impact of ocean acidification on a remote Arctic

In a new paper published in Frontiers in Marine Science, scientists call for increased consideration of ocean acidification to help inform future fish stock management in the Arctic Ocean, as...

WATCH: summary findings of the Decommissioning – Relative Effects of Alternative Management Strategi

This week the DREAMS team presented their findings from their 3 year study into the different strategies for decommissioning structures in the North Sea.

Water pollution postpones Triathlons in Paris Olympics, highlighting urgent issue of water quality

Recent concerns over poor water quality at the Paris Olympics 2024 have highlighted the urgent need for effective monitoring and management of rivers. At PML, we are at the forefront...

Weather, time and phytoplankton blooms

Computer models used to study important phytoplankton blooms can be affected by how often weather variables are input, a new study suggests.

Wepal-Quasimeme Workshop on Quality Assurance for inorganic carbon system measurements in context of ocean acidification monitoring

Registration is now open for the “Wepal-Quasimeme Workshop on Quality Assurance for inorganic carbon system measurements in context of ocean acidification monitoring”. The in-person workshop will be held on 18-20...

What is ocean alkalinity enhancement and why is it important?

Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement is one method of Ocean-Based Carbon Dioxide Removal (oCDR), also known as Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal (mCDR), a growing area of interest as part of efforts towards...

Widespread microplastic pollution in Peruvian mangrove sediments and edible mangrove spe

New study shows that the mangroves of Tumbes, Peru are extensively contaminated with microplastic pollution, and estimate that the local inhabitants are likely ingesting up to 430 plastic particles per...

Zooplankton and the smell of microplastics

The shape and smell of microplastics may influence whether they are eaten by tiny but vital marine zooplankton, a new study suggests.