Advancing plankton research through new laboratory facilities
The Marine Biological Association (MBA) is delighted to announce the opening of new laboratories which will further enhance vital planktonic research.
The Plankton Taxonomy Laboratory is the new home of the Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR) Survey which is one of the world’s longest running and most geographically extensive marine ecological surveys.
The Garfield Weston Foundation kindly agreed to support the MBA with a transformational award of £400,000. With equal match funding from the MBA, this enabled the planning and completion of innovative laboratory facilities at Citadel Hill in Plymouth.
The newly opened Plankton Taxonomy Laboratory completed by Nevada Construction has a large open plan space with sixteen CPR Survey workstations, doubling previous capacity, seven plankton taxonomy workstations (for non-CPR samples), a larger dedicated sample processing room, silk preparation room and a taxonomy training room.
Not only has the project created additional research workstations, improved ergonomics and a dedicated training area, but the relocation of the laboratories has freed up valuable space which will enable further development at Citadel Hill.
David Johns, Director of Research Facilities and Head of the CPR Survey said:
“The new Plankton Taxonomy Laboratory has enabled us to build on our existing record-breaking, policy-relevant and strategic plankton work. The improved facilities, collaborative spaces, and dedicated taxonomy workspace, combined with recent advances in augmented sampling is creating an exciting future of research possibilities.”
In 2020 the CPR Survey received a Guinness World Records title for greatest distance sampled by a marine survey, reaching over 7 million nautical miles.
The Survey reached its milestone 90th Anniversary in 2021 and continues to shape scientific understanding about the health of our ocean, and how marine life is changing in response to pressures like climate change.
The Marine Biological Association (MBA) is one of the world's longest-running societies dedicated to promoting research into our ocean and the life it supports.
Its in-depth scientific research into the interconnected marine environment is carried out from its prestigious laboratory HQ in Plymouth, UK. It has Royal Charter status for its world-leading role in marine biology research. Since 1884, the MBA has worked as a voice for the ocean and in the interests of the global marine biological community.
The MBA’s advanced knowledge has contributed to the work of several Nobel Laureates and over 170 Fellows of the Royal Society. This year the MBA is proud to celebrate its 140th anniversary as a leading organization in the field of marine biology.
Marine research in the city of Plymouth
Plymouth – Britain’s Ocean City – has been at the forefront of policy relevant marine research for more than a century. It is home to three world-leading scientific institutions (the University of Plymouth, the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, and Plymouth Marine Laboratory) comprising the UK’s largest cluster of marine researchers, recognised globally in terms of publications, impact and influence.
Collaborations with colleagues in 98 countries over the last five years place Plymouth at the heart of international scientific and societal advances in fields including climate change, marine pollution, and ecosystem monitoring and prediction.
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