English version below
Wenn man an Chemie denkt, denkt man wahrscheinlich schnell an explodierende Gläser, ätzende Säuren und verrückte Professoren, aber nicht an den Ozean. Hier an Bord wird unsere Wissenschaftsteam auch von zwei chemischen Ozeanographen begleitet, Tobias Steinhoff und Kristin Kampen.
Den beiden habe ich die Frage gestellt, „Was findet ihr an der chemischen Ozeanografie spannend?“: Es ist unglaublich interessant, was es alles an unsichtbaren Prozessen im Meer gibt, die unser aller Leben beeinflussen: In der chemischen Ozeanographie untersuchen wir, wie sich chemische Bestandteile im Meer verhalten, z.B. wie sich gelöste Gase (wie CO₂ und Sauerstoff), Nährsalze (wie Nitrat und Phosphat), Spurenmetalle und organische Verbindungen im Meerwasser verhalten und verteilen. Der Ozean nimmt CO₂ auf, produziert Sauerstoff und transportiert Nährstoffe durch den Ozean und überall wirken chemische Prozesse mit. Diese Zusammenhänge zu verstehen ist Grundlage unserer Arbeit.
Auf unserer Ausfahrt in der Labradorsee nehmen sie Seewasserproben und extrahieren gelöstes organisches Material (DOM). Dies umfasst alle organischen Verbindungen, die im Meerwasser gelöst sind, also nicht als Partikel vorliegen. Das sind zum Beispiel Zucker, Aminosäuren, Fette und komplexere Moleküle, die aus abgestorbenen Organismen, Ausscheidungen von Meereslebewesen oder dem Abbau von Algen stammen. Als einer der größten Kohlenstoffspeicher spielt DOM eine zentrale Rolle im marinen Kohlenstoffkreislauf. Die Labradorsee ist eine der wichtigsten Regionen für die Bildung des North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW). Oberflächenwasser sinkt in die Tiefe und nimmt dabei DOM mit. Das NADW verteilt dieses Material dann über Jahrhunderte durch die Weltmeere und entzieht so der Atmosphäre langfristig Kohlenstoff. Zusätzlich werden kontinuierliche Messungen von pCO₂/O₂ im Oberflächenwasser während der Fahrt durchgeführt, um sich den Austausch von CO₂ zwischen Ozean und Atmosphäre anzuschauen. Viele Prozesse sind hierbei immer noch nicht vollständig verstanden, wie z.B. der Gasaustausch bei hohen Windgeschwindigkeiten.
Da es hier auf See, besonders in dieser Region, oft sehr stürmisch zugeht, ist kein Geheimnis und es geht natürlich besonders in einem Chemie Labor dann doch mal etwas zu Bruch. Wie läuft diese Arbeit also bei 11bft und 6 Meter Wellen ab. Wasserproben müssen meist innerhalb von 24 Stunden verarbeitet werden. Da kann man nicht immer Rücksicht auf die Wetterbedingungen nehmen. Einige Arbeiten werden immer noch nasschemisch gemacht und unter Einsatz von Glasmaterial. Sowohl das genaue Abmessen von Reagenzien als auch das Zusammenhalten der Glasware ist nicht immer einfach bei einem rollenden Schiff (und auch nicht immer erfolgreich). Man versucht zwar den doch dann plötzlichen Bewegungen des Schiffes entgegenzuwirken und alle Proben Behälter, Kisten und Flaschen zu sichern. Man wird aber dann doch mal von einem umkippenden Mülleimer überrascht und die noch neu verpackten Plastikröhrchen oder andere Fliegengewichte im Regal finden bei der einen oder anderen Welle ihren Weg auf die gegenüberliegende Seite im Labor. Dazu kommt, dass beim Arbeiten mit chemischen Stoffen und Proben doch des Öfteren beide Hände für die Arbeit gebraucht werden. Wird man dann allerdings von einer Welle überrascht, erfordert das Festhalten mit der dritten Hand (Fuß falls man schnell genug ist), einiges an Bauchmuskeln.
Foto: Julia Pelle
Das Besondere an der Arbeit auf See ist, dass man neben der alltäglichen Schreibtischarbeit auch praktisch arbeiten kann. Dabei ist man auf die enge Zusammenarbeit mit seinen Kollegen angewiesen und lernt sie dabei viel besser kennen. Zusätzlich sind auch viele andere Forschungsbereiche mit an Bord, wodurch es einen spannenden Austausch zwischen den einzelnen Gruppen gibt.
Zum Schluss hier noch ein kleiner Tipp am Rande von unseren Chemikern und für deine erste Forschungsseereise: Laschen, laschen, laschen und immer ein Ohr am Bordfunk: Der Arbeitsplan ist bei den Wetterbedingungen eher ein Vorschlag und kann sich stündlich ändern (die nächste CTD Station ist immer um die Ecke).
Chemistry: Making the Invisible Visible
When you think of chemistry, you probably quickly imagine exploding glassware, corrosive acids, and crazy professors, but not the ocean. Here on board, our scientific team is also accompanied by two chemical oceanographers, Tobias Steinhoff und Kristin Kampen.
I asked them the question: “What do you find exciting about chemical oceanography?”
“It is incredibly fascinating how many invisible processes exist in the ocean that influence all of our lives. In chemical oceanography, we study the fate of various chemical components in the ocean: for example, how dissolved gases (such as CO₂ and oxygen), nutrients (such as nitrate and phosphate), trace metals, and organic compounds behave and are distributed in seawater. The ocean absorbs CO₂, produces oxygen, and transports nutrients through complex cycles, including chemical processes. Understanding these relationships forms the basis of our work.”
During our expedition in the Labrador Sea, they collect seawater samples and extract dissolved organic material (DOM). This includes all compounds dissolved in seawater, meaning they are not present as particles. Examples include sugars, amino acids, fats, and more complex molecules that originate from dead organisms, excretions from marine life, or the breakdown of algae. As one of the largest carbon reservoirs, DOM plays a central role in the marine carbon cycle.
The Labrador Sea is one of the most important regions for the formation of North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW). Surface water sinks into the depths, carrying DOM with it. NADW then distributes this material throughout the world’s oceans over centuries, thereby removing carbon from the atmosphere over the long term. In addition, continuous measurements of pCO₂ and O₂ in surface water are taken during the voyage to study the exchange of CO₂ between the ocean and the atmosphere. Many processes involved are still not fully understood, such as gas exchange under high wind speeds.
It is no secret that conditions at sea especially in this region are often very stormy, and in a chemistry lab, things can occasionally break. So how does this work at 11 Beaufort and 6-meter waves? Water samples usually need to be processed within 24 hours, so you cannot always take weather conditions into account. Some work is still done using wet chemistry and glass equipment. Accurately measuring reagents and holding glassware steady is not always easy on a rolling ship (and not always successful). Although efforts are made to counteract sudden ship movements and to secure all sample containers, boxes, and bottles, you may still be caught off guard by a tipping trash bin, and newly packaged plastic tubes or other lightweight items can suddenly fly across the lab with the next wave.
On top of that, when working with chemicals and samples, both hands are often needed. If a wave hits unexpectedly, holding on with a “third hand” (your foot, if you are quick enough) requires quite a bit of core strength. What makes working at sea special is that, alongside everyday desk work, you can also do hands-on work. This requires close cooperation with colleagues, allowing you to get to know them much better. In addition, many other research disciplines are on board, which creates exciting exchanges between different groups.
Finally, here is a small tip from our chemists for your first research expedition: strap everything down, strap everything down, strap everything down and always keep one ear on the ship’s radio. The work schedule is more of a suggestion under these weather conditions and can change hourly (the next CTD station is always just around the corner).
From Desert to Seafloor
Fig. 1) team Strata That Matta: Victoria C., Maeghan D., Maddie B., Vale B. (from left to right)
The months leading up to OCEAN CORE Academy were filled with another type of adventure for me, surveying the badlands of New Mexico in search of dinosaur bones. Yet, my work in the Gulf Coast Repository consisted of examining ocean cores using a microscope. Although these experiences couldn’t be any more different, the two were similar in that each attempted to answer the same question: what did Earth look like in the past?
I focus much of my research on vertebrate paleontological and geological fieldwork, such as prospecting for fossils, measuring strata, or describing ancient paleoenvironments and faunal assemblages. While I knew about microfossils, I had not fully grasped how much geological history is present in them.
Fig. 2) fieldwork, NM (May 2026)
History Through a Microscope
This leads me to one of the most memorable parts of OCEAN CORE Academy, learning to prepare smear slides and identify what existed within the ocean cores. It was a momentous occasion when I first saw a radiolarian beneath the microscope!
Before, I had been hunting for fossils measured in centimeters/meters, but now I am studying those measured in micrometers. These tiny fossilized organisms provide surprisingly detailed insights into ancient environments. The conditions in which different groups of microfossils thrive vary, but by tracking how they fluctuate between layers, we can reconstruct climatic shifts over geologic time.
Using these changing microfossil assemblages, my team correlated a transition from calcareous to siliceous ooze layers with a cooling climate!
Fig. 3) my first time seeing microfossils
Fig. 4) radiolarian Fig. 5) coccolithophores Fig. 6) sponge spiccules
Bringing OCA Back to AZ
Upon my return to Arizona, I will carry this new perspective with me. As I move forward with future projects and field seasons in New Mexico, volunteer at the Arizona Museum of Natural History, and pursue my degree, the skills I developed here will prove to be invaluable for strengthening my own research.
Prior to attending OCEAN CORE Academy I viewed microfossils as existing, yet somewhat separate from my projects. This place has challenged that perspective. I came to understand that many of the most detailed records of Earth’s past are the microfossils hidden within a single grain of sediment!
Fig. 7) class of OCA 2026
Written by OCA 2026 student, Maddie Baare
I have been studying plastic pollution for more than a decade. I’ve analyzed hundreds of samples in labs, pored over data and spent years thinking hard about where plastics go once they leave our hands and enter the environment. I love doing work on the water—this was a big part of my previous professional roles in Alaska and in Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands.
And here’s where it took me! I was thrilled to have the opportunity to join the first leg of eXXpedition’s voyage in the South Pacific this past spring, trading my lab coat for a lifejacket to study microplastics at sea. Sailing from Auckland, New Zealand, to the Bay of Islands aboard the 70-foot research vessel Wind Shift over 10 days, our crew of 12 women conducted ocean water-surface sampling via manta tow nets (a long cone-shaped mesh net), cleaned up debris on remote beaches and examined city streets with measuring tapes and field equipment. Our purpose? To collect key data to help us better understand the flow of plastics from land to sea.
Our all-female guest crew—hence the XX in “eXXpedition”—brought aboard expertise from the fields of structural engineering, circular economy strategy, sustainable fashion, plastics research, robotics and more. Together, we represented a remarkable cross-section of disciplines united around a shared concern for the health of our ocean.
Seeing it with my own eyes
We found plastics of all shapes and sizes everywhere we went—in the city streets of Auckland, while crossing the Hauraki Gulf and even at Aotea Great Barrier Island (one of the most remote and protected stretches of New Zealand’s coastline). Our ocean is vast and some of these places felt far removed from the centers of human activity, but this eXXpedition was a good reminder that plastic doesn’t respect remoteness. It moves, accumulates and shows up where we least expect.
Working alongside local NGO Sustainable Coastlines, we arrived on a remote stretch of beach on Aotea Great Barrier Island to audit and clean up any plastics we came across. What we found there told the same story our Auckland street surveys did: We found bottle caps, food packaging, fragments, plastic pellets and fishing debris. The everyday materials of modern life—but weathered, broken and scattered.
Science at sea
One of my favorite parts of the voyage (which was also one of the most challenging, if I’m being honest!) was the sea-surface manta trawl analyses we did onboard. I found out quickly that sorting microplastics from krill-laden seawater samples under a microscope while sailing is not for the faint of stomach.
The most common plastic culprit we found in those samples? Microplastic fibers. This type of microplastic is no wider than a human hair and is the most common type of microplastic found in the environment. Microplastic fibers can come from a variety of sources like cigarette butts, weathered ropes or wet wipes, but actually, most microplastic fibers shed from synthetic clothing and textiles. Laundering is a major source— shockingly, a single load of laundry can generate up to 18 million microfibers.
And yet, we found these tiny plastic fibers floating in the ocean many miles away from the nearest washing machine.
In my lab research, I have found microplastic fibers time and time again, but there’s something even more sobering about hand-picking them out of a seawater sample collected from pristine-looking waters. It was a good reminder of why understanding where plastic comes from, how it moves and where it ends up is so critical to addressing the problem at its roots.
Filter Out NSFW Microplastics
What I’m bringing back
Studying plastic pollution from the deck of a boat in some of the most remote waters in the Southern Hemisphere made me appreciate the work I do even more. It also made me appreciate how important people are in this giant puzzle of plastic pollution solutions. The plastic pollution crisis is a human problem, and solving it requires all of us. The courage and dedication of the women I shared those 10 days with is something I won’t forget. Going to sea, doing the science and pushing through discomfort to collect data that matters was not easy. We were seasick some days and exhilarated others. Despite that fact, we showed up for it fully, every day.
The plastic is out there, even in far-flung corners of the ocean. And the answer is not to be paralyzed by that fact, but to use it as fuel. Every sample we collected is now a data point in a larger story about where plastic comes from and where it goes. Every cleanup, every surface trawl, every street block walked and every hour spent at a microscope are parts of building the evidence base that informs policies, regulations and systems-level changes that can actually turn this crisis around.
Cleaning up beaches and coastlines is valuable and necessary work. But we also must stop plastic from entering the ocean in the first place—through stronger policy, better product design and real investment in waste management infrastructure everywhere. Luckily, when it comes to the most common microplastics in the ocean— microplastic fibers—there is already an effective, affordable solution to immediately reduce microplastics coming from our laundry by roughly 90%: washing machine filters. These filters act just like laundry lint filters in our dryers, capturing fibers in tightly-woven mesh and effectively preventing them from leaving our homes and leaking into the environment.
What can you do?
There’s no better time to tackle plastic pollution than right now, during Plastic Free July
! Take two minutes to add your name and call on your elected leaders to combat those pesky, dangerous microfibers that are pouring into our ocean daily—like the ones I found from my samples at sea. Together, we can stop plastic pollution at the source and protect our ocean forever and for everyone.
My biggest takeaways from this experience? People are remarkable. Our ocean is remarkable. And our ocean is worth fighting for, including from 70 feet of sailing vessel in the South Pacific, staring down a microscope with a pair of tweezers and a queasy stomach.
The eXXpedition South Pacific I voyage ran from April 27 to May 6, 2026, sailing from Auckland to the Bay of Islands. Learn more about the research team and our itinerary at https://exxpedition.com/voyage/auckland-to-bay-of-islands/.
The post Microplastic Pollution Research at Sea appeared first on Ocean Conservancy.
Our annual Photo Contest is officially wrapped—and wow, you delivered! More than 1,000 ocean lovers shared their incredible ocean and wildlife photos. Thank you for keeping our ocean in focus during National Ocean Month and inspiring us with your creativity.
Now it’s time to meet the favorites. See the stunning photos that captured the hearts of our judges, staff and fellow ocean lovers.
Judges Choice Winner:
“Walrus Nursing” by Richard Rothstein
Our group was in a small skiff slowly moving among the icebergs when we came upon the scene in the image. Two female walruses were in what appeared to be a protective posture as one of the females was nursing a small calf. We remained a very respectable distance and did not approach. The walruses seemed to completely tolerate our presence as there appeared to be no alteration of their natural behavior. This was my first encounter with walruses, and it was truly an experience of a lifetime!!
A word from the judges:
“There’s such tenderness in this Arctic moment—two adult walruses framing the calf nursing between them, all mirrored in the glassy meltwater below. That reflection doubles the impact and gives the composition a beautiful symmetry, and the soft, even light shows off every wrinkle and whisker. A quiet, intimate family portrait set against the fragile backdrop of the sea ice these animals depend on.” – Angela J. Farmer
“I love this photograph! The composition is excellent with the reflections and the ice bergs in the background balancing the photograph. I also appreciate that the photographer captured this photo and it does not appear like the animals were stressed out in any way. They are acting and behaving natural in their natural habitat. Very important to me as a photographer to not disturb the animals by my presence. Good job!” – Harvey Hergett
“…Really beautiful and powerful. I loved the calm moment, the reflection and the connection between the walruses. It feels very natural, honest and emotional.” – Andrés Ballesteros
Staff Choice Winner:
“The Lone Ranger” by Rowan Dear
(Rowan’s Instagram; Rowan’s Website)
A large male Giant Cuttlefish cruises around the shoreline of Whyalla, looking for a mate this season. Most of the Cuttlefish here are smaller and similar size to the females, however you will see some very large males who are 3-4 times the size of some males who will swim around and bully and dominate the other males and sometimes guard up to 3 females. The larger males are probably 2 years old and have been eating their way through summer waiting for the mating season in winter.
A word from the judges:
“This is an absolute showstopper—the sunburst breaking through the surface turns an ordinary dive into something almost cinematic. The cuttlefish’s intricate textures and shifting purple-to-copper tones are stunning, and the way the light rays guide your eye right down to it shows real mastery of natural underwater lighting. A rich, immersive image that makes you feel like you’re in the water with him.” – Angela J. Farmer
“I liked the angle of the shot as shooting upward on the subject gives it a more majestic feel.” – Harvey Hergett
People’s Choice Winner:
“Sweet Seal” by Nicole Pellegrino
(Nicole’s Instagram; Nicole’s Website)
This sweet seal was resting on the shore of Long Beach, NY on a bright sunny day in April 2024.
A huge thank you to everyone who entered, voted, shared and cheered on this year’s contest. And a mighty thanks to our expert judges: Angela J. Farmer, Harvey Hergett and Andrés Ballesteros. Congratulations to all our talented photographers—we can’t wait to see what you capture in 2027!
Enjoy the contest’s honorable mentions below and we’ll SEA you next year.
The post 2026 Ocean Conservancy Photo Contest Winners appeared first on Ocean Conservancy.
https://oceanconservancy.org/blog/2026/06/30/2026-photo-contest-winners/
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