Microbes of the Plastisphere: Hitchhiking through the Ocean
GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel
Published: 9 April 2026
Study reveals ocean plastic-dwelling microbes have larger genomes with enhanced capabilities for nutrient uptake and UV protection compared to marine plankton, but are unlikely to degrade plastic.
Keywords: plastisphere, marine microbes, ocean plastic, metagenomics, marine pollution, microbial ecology, biofilm
Uncharted island soon to appear on nautical charts
Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI)
Published: 9 April 2026
Antarctic expedition aboard icebreaker Polarstern discovered a 130-metre-long island in the Weddell Sea, previously marked only as a danger zone on nautical charts, now fully surveyed for charting.
Keywords: Antarctica, Weddell Sea, Polarstern, uncharted island, polar exploration, seafloor mapping, nautical charts
New study reveals wind-driven upwelling controls ocean productivity in the South Atlantic Bight
NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML)
Published: 8 April 2026
Research ties changes in Gulf Stream speed to interannual upwelling variability along the US Southeast coast, with local winds driving shifts in nutrient supply and phytoplankton blooms.
Keywords: Gulf Stream, upwelling, South Atlantic Bight, ocean acidification, wind forcing, phytoplankton, biogeochemistry
