Major declines in key zooplankton threaten Northwest European marine life
Northwest European shelf seas could be ‘particularly sensitive’ to climate change, with potential consequences for marine food webs and fish populations, say scientists.
Decoding diatom diversity: The 100 Diatom Genomes Project
An international team of scientists has taken a major step toward understanding one of Earth’s most important yet underexplored groups of organisms: diatoms. Scientists from the Marine Biological Association (MBA), including Senior Research Fellows Dr Katherine Helliwell and Dr Glen Wheeler, as well as researchers Yousef Touhami and Dr Trupti Gaikwad have joined more than … Read more
Condolences for MBA Fellow John Spencer
MBA Fellow and lifelong MBA Member John Spencer representing Barnardos at a Buckingham Palace Garden Party The Marine Biological Association (MBA) is saddened to learn of the passing of MBA Fellow and long-standing Member John Spencer, LRIC, BSc, PGCE, AMIQA, Mem. MBA, PP2, PHF, whose distinguished career in marine and environmental science spanned more than … Read more
Sri Lankan shark conference dreams realised thanks to MBA Student Travel Bursary
Daniel Hampton, a Marine Biology Masters graduate from the University of Southampton, was awarded the MBA Student Travel Bursary earlier this year to travel to Sri Lanka for the Sharks International 2026 conference. Held once every four years, the conference hosted by Blue Resources Trust brought together around 800 attendees from more than 80 countries … Read more
Marine Biological Association research sheds new light on the hidden world of aquatic fungi
Scientists at the Marine Biological Association (MBA) have published new research revealing how an ancient group of aquatic fungi builds their cell walls, providing fresh insights into fungal evolution and establishing a little-studied aquatic fungus as an important model system for future bioscience research.
Octopus bloom providing a feast for Devon’s Risso’s dolphins
Remarkable images of a Risso’s dolphin appearing to be ‘ridden’ by an octopus providing striking evidence of how an ongoing bloom in octopus numbers may be affecting marine wildlife in the sea off the Devon and Cornwall coast.
Mystery sea slug found off Lundy could be new undescribed species
A brightly coloured sea slug spotted by a local citizen scientist and diver off Lundy has sparked interest from marine experts. In a potentially significant development, the discovery has attracted the attention of a leading nudibranch specialist who suspects the striking creature may represent a species never before recorded by science. The tiny but striking … Read more
Warming seas fuel spread of harmful algal mega-blooms in the Bering Sea
Scientists have uncovered new evidence that climate change is driving toxin-producing harmful algal blooms (HABs) in the Pacific Arctic, raising concerns for marine wildlife, fisheries and the coastal communities that depend on the region’s resources. The Marine Biological Association (MBA) led research focuses on the Pacific Arctic region, which is warming faster than almost any … Read more
New field guide to crustaceans features original illustrations from the MBA archive
A new Seasearch Guide, Marine Crustaceans of Britain and Ireland has recently been published, featuring illustrations by Dr Marie Lebour (1877-1971), sourced from the MBA archive. Written by MBA Members Lin Baldock and Charlotte Bolton and also co-authored by Iain M.T. Dixon, this photographic identification guide is an invaluable guide to species identification of this … Read more
UK seas face major food chain disruption as plankton shift, scientists predict
Marine scientists warn that continued warming of UK waters is likely to cause major changes to plankton, the tiny drifting plants and animals that form the foundation of marine food webs and feed the fish that end up on our plates.
