Carbon Flux Ecology Overview Team Projects Publications Blog Technologies Data Our team resolves the microscopic biological interactions that control carbon export in the ocean to advance global-scale observations and models of our climate and ocean ecosystems. We focus on the intricate and oftentimes beautiful sinking particles throughout the ocean depths, and the diverse community of organisms that produce, transform, and feed on these particles as they sink from the surface to the deep ocean.Our projects rely on a combination of approaches to identify important ecologic controls on carbon export, including microscopy, molecular sequencing, sediment trap deployments, underwater imagery, optical sensors, and laboratory growth experiments. We develop new technologies to expand the time and space scales over which we can make these detailed observations. Team Directory Colleen Durkin Scientist Principal Investigator Sebastian Sudek Research Specialist Christine Huffard Senior Research Specialist Sasha Kramer Postdoctoral Fellow Natalia Llopis Monferrer Postdoctoral Collaborator Fernanda Lecaros Saavedra Research Technician George Stern Electrical Engineer Enoch Nicholson Mechanical Enginner Projects All Projects Detecting Episodic Export Events Project Detecting Episodic Export Events Ecology of Marine Snow Project Ecology of Marine Snow Publications All Publications Estapa, M. L., C. A. Durkin, W. H. Slade, C. L. Huffard, S. P. O'Neill, and M. M. Omand. 2024. A new, global optical sediment trap calibration. Limnology and Oceanography: Methods, 22(2): 77-92. https://doi.org/10.1002/lom3.10592 Durkin, C.A., K.O. Buesseler, I. Cetinic, M. Estapa, R.P. Kelley, and M. Omand. 2021. A visual tour of carbon export by sinking particles. Global Biogeochemical Cycles, 35(10): 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GB006985 Michaud, C.A., C.L. Huffard, K.L. Smith Jr, and C.A. Durkin. 2022. Changes in phytoplankton and biomineral content of particles during episodic fluxes to abyssal depth. Limnology and Oceanography Letters, 7: 342–353, https://doi.org/10.1002/lol2.10255 Preston, C.M., C.A. Durkin, and K.M. Yamahara. 2019. DNA metabarcoding reveals organisms contributing to particulate matter flux to abyssal depths in the North East Pacific ocean. Deep Sea Research Part II Topical Studies in Oceanography, 173: 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr2.2019.104708 Huffard, C.L., C.A. Durkin, S.E. Wilson, P.R. McGill, R. Henthorn, and K.L. Smith Jr. 2020. Temporally-resolved mechanisms of deep-ocean particle flux and impact on the seafloor carbon cycle in the northeast Pacific. Deep Sea Research Part II Topical Studies in Oceanography, 173: 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr2.2020.104763 Latest News All News News Fresh from the Deep:MBARI scientists film elusive dreamer anglerfish in 4K Behind the Scenes 11.07.23 Related Blog Blog Drawn from the depths 02.06.24 Blog Glass secrets hidden in deep 12.19.23 Blog Let our powers combine 10.19.23 Technologies All Technologies Vehicle, Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) ROV Ventana Technology ROV Ventana A remotely operated vehicle equipped with a Sea-Bird 19plus V2 CTD package including a dissolved oxygen sensor, transmissometer, and spatial lasers mounted on the main camera. Observatory, Cabled Observatory Monterey Accelerated Research System (MARS) Technology Monterey Accelerated Research System (MARS) MARS provides electrical power and data connections for new research instruments in the deep-sea. Vehicle, Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV), Tethys Class Long Range AUV (LRAUV) Technology Long Range AUV (LRAUV) The long-range AUV (LRAUV) greatly expands the types of observations and experiments possible with autonomous platforms. Vehicle, Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) ROV Doc Ricketts Technology ROV Doc Ricketts An integrated unmanned submersible research platform with features providing efficient, reliable, and precise sampling and data collection. Instrument Sediment Event Sensor (SES) Technology Sediment Event Sensor (SES) A sediment trap that images the sample rather than collecting it. Instrument Sediment Traps Technology Sediment Traps Sediment traps collect the samples needed for the lab’s measure of particulate organic carbon. Data All Data Data Ocean Acidification 1 (OA1) Mooring Data from the OA1 mooring, located just offshore of Hopkins Marine Station and the Monterey Bay Aquarium
Estapa, M. L., C. A. Durkin, W. H. Slade, C. L. Huffard, S. P. O'Neill, and M. M. Omand. 2024. A new, global optical sediment trap calibration. Limnology and Oceanography: Methods, 22(2): 77-92. https://doi.org/10.1002/lom3.10592
Durkin, C.A., K.O. Buesseler, I. Cetinic, M. Estapa, R.P. Kelley, and M. Omand. 2021. A visual tour of carbon export by sinking particles. Global Biogeochemical Cycles, 35(10): 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GB006985
Michaud, C.A., C.L. Huffard, K.L. Smith Jr, and C.A. Durkin. 2022. Changes in phytoplankton and biomineral content of particles during episodic fluxes to abyssal depth. Limnology and Oceanography Letters, 7: 342–353, https://doi.org/10.1002/lol2.10255
Preston, C.M., C.A. Durkin, and K.M. Yamahara. 2019. DNA metabarcoding reveals organisms contributing to particulate matter flux to abyssal depths in the North East Pacific ocean. Deep Sea Research Part II Topical Studies in Oceanography, 173: 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr2.2019.104708
Huffard, C.L., C.A. Durkin, S.E. Wilson, P.R. McGill, R. Henthorn, and K.L. Smith Jr. 2020. Temporally-resolved mechanisms of deep-ocean particle flux and impact on the seafloor carbon cycle in the northeast Pacific. Deep Sea Research Part II Topical Studies in Oceanography, 173: 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr2.2020.104763
News Fresh from the Deep:MBARI scientists film elusive dreamer anglerfish in 4K Behind the Scenes 11.07.23
Vehicle, Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) ROV Ventana Technology ROV Ventana A remotely operated vehicle equipped with a Sea-Bird 19plus V2 CTD package including a dissolved oxygen sensor, transmissometer, and spatial lasers mounted on the main camera.
Observatory, Cabled Observatory Monterey Accelerated Research System (MARS) Technology Monterey Accelerated Research System (MARS) MARS provides electrical power and data connections for new research instruments in the deep-sea.
Vehicle, Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV), Tethys Class Long Range AUV (LRAUV) Technology Long Range AUV (LRAUV) The long-range AUV (LRAUV) greatly expands the types of observations and experiments possible with autonomous platforms.
Vehicle, Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) ROV Doc Ricketts Technology ROV Doc Ricketts An integrated unmanned submersible research platform with features providing efficient, reliable, and precise sampling and data collection.
Instrument Sediment Event Sensor (SES) Technology Sediment Event Sensor (SES) A sediment trap that images the sample rather than collecting it.
Instrument Sediment Traps Technology Sediment Traps Sediment traps collect the samples needed for the lab’s measure of particulate organic carbon.
Data Ocean Acidification 1 (OA1) Mooring Data from the OA1 mooring, located just offshore of Hopkins Marine Station and the Monterey Bay Aquarium