International team studies marine organisms' role in ocean carbon storage

An international team of scientists, led by the University of Southampton, National Oceanography Centre, and Heriot-Watt University, has begun investigating the role marine organisms play in carbon storage within the ocean. The BIO-Carbon programme, funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), aims to provide critical insights into how biological processes contribute to oceanic carbon sequestration and how climate change may alter this capacity. The team is using cutting-edge technology, including autonomous vehicles and advanced sensors, to conduct in situ observations across a full seasonal cycle in the North Atlantic. This research is crucial for improving climate models and understanding the future of ocean carbon storage. (University of Southampton)