Biological oceanography is the study of processes affecting the abundance, production, and variability of life in the oceans. At UGA we study some of the smallest organisms in the ocean such as bacteria, phytoplankton, and zooplankton. Although they are small, these organisms collectively have a global impact and affect the productivity of the oceans and how elements such as carbon are utilized and transformed. We work to unravel the factors controlling the growth of their populations, when and where they bloom in the oceans, and their interactions by using field observations, laboratory experiments, and computer modeling.
