From Earthquakes to Phytoplankton: Finding Hidden Connections in Complex Ocean Data

With Dr. Casey Schine, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Biology

Many important processes in nature are difficult—or even impossible—to observe directly. In the ocean around Antarctica, hydrothermal vents sit kilometers below the surface and have long been assumed to have little influence on life above them. In this talk, I show how bringing together different kinds of existing data—satellite images, ocean circulation patterns, and records of earthquakes—revealed a surprising connection between deep-sea earthquakes and bursts of phytoplankton growth at the surface. Because Antarctic phytoplankton play a central role in regulating atmospheric carbon dioxide and supporting the region’s food web, this hidden connection suggests that deep Earth processes may influence climate and ecosystems in ways we have not yet fully recognized.

Presented by midd.data. For more information please contact midd.data@middlebury.edu