In the winter of 2015, the public noticed thousands of dead seabirds washing ashore across the western coast of the United States and Canada. The USGS linked this massive seabird die-off to the North Pacific Marine Heatwave. A marine heatwave occurs when sea surface temperatures are above normal for an extended period of time.
Marine Biology and Ecosystems
The ocean is home to a wealth of biodiversity - from invisible-to-the-eye microbes to the larger-than-life megafauna - and unique marine habitat, such as deepwater coral reefs, seamounts, and submarine canyons. USGS science helps inform the management and conservation of marine biodiversity and habitats, from the coastlines down to the deepest trench.
Life in the Sea
From the microscopic plants known as phytoplankton that form the basis of the aquatic food web to the largest animal to ever live on Earth, the blue whale, our oceans are home to a wealth of biodiversity and every organism plays a critical role in the structure and function of this expansive marine environment.
Maintaining this biodiversity is important because a healthy ocean provides us with oxygen, helps regulate climate and weather, acts as a source of protein for many people around the world, and provides jobs and opportunities for eco-tourism and recreation. USGS science informs the management and conservation of marine biodiversity and habitats, in both nearshore and deepwater ecosystems.
USGS Role in Marine Ecosystems Research
From the Atlantic to the Pacific and the Gulf of Mexico in between, USGS scientists have implemented a multi-faceted offshore research program that weaves together expertise in a variety of disciplines to investigate nearshore and deepwater ecosystems. This interdisciplinary approach relies on a network of partners from around the Nation and the world to examine microbiology, population genetics, paleoecology, food webs, taxonomy, community ecology, physical oceanography, seafloor characteristics, and submarine hazards in the little explored, yet vital, marine ecosystems.
![FP, George Balazs, Fibropapilloma](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/half_width/public/thumbnails/image/GeorgeHBalazs.jpg?itok=luTWe3a7)
![Argos Wildlife Tracking Northern Fulmar animation](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/half_width/public/thumbnails/image/northernFulmar_USGS_ASC_argos_all_animals_animation_geo_v13.gif?itok=-bQtvmYv)
![A map of South Florida and the Florida keys with yellow lines showing satellite locations of a sea turtle over time](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/half_width/public/thumbnails/image/MaleSeaturtles4.jpg?itok=mSnuOB3U)
USGS Science in Nearshore Ecosystems
Nearshore systems are the habitats in which most people interact with marine environments, which include seabirds, seagrasses, algae, benthic invertebrates and fish, and top predators that include marine mammals like sharks, sea otters, walruses, and even polar bears. USGS research addresses natural and human-induced changes to this ecosystem and all its components.
![An underwater photograph shows a school of brightly colored fish swim over corals.](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/half_width/public/thumbnails/image/Tumon_Guam.jpg?itok=1NItKnhj)
Exploring Deep-sea Ecosystems
Most life in the ocean exists in surface waters above 200 meters depth where they have access to sunlight. However, even below 200 meters, where little to no sunlight reaches, temperatures drop, and pressure increases, abundant life exists. A diversity of organisms, including fishes, crustaceans, cephalopods, anemones, sea stars, microbes, and even corals make their home in the deep sea. These organisms reside on topographically complex terrain mirroring our terrestrial landscape, dotted with features like trenches, seamounts, canyons, and volcanoes. They also leave behind fossils that help geoscientists construct models of ancient ocean conditions and Earth’s geologic history, as shown in the schematic below.
![An illustration of a generalized Mid-Piacenzian marine environment](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/half_width/public/thumbnails/image/ocn_prx_p4_pdgm.jpg?itok=nmlQUlWq)
Life at the Bottom of the Ocean
The mention of the seafloor may evoke thoughts of a deep, dark expanse of nothing, but the often-assumed void of life in the deep sea couldn’t be further from the truth. Even with the lack of sunlight, an average temperature of 4 degrees Celsius, and extreme pressures that an unprotected human could not survive, the deep sea is brimming with biodiversity, including deep-sea corals. The DISCOVRE (DIversity, Systematics and COnnectivity of Vulnerable Reef Ecosystems) program investigates unique and fragile deep-sea coral environments from the microscopic level to the ecosystem level. The multi-disciplinary approach has enhanced our understanding of the structure and function of significant biological communities surrounding deep coral reefs off the United States’ coasts.
![Underwater photo of a rocky outcrop with fish.](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/half_width/public/thumbnails/image/EXPRESS3.jpg?itok=neKKNh7e)
Publications
Realizing the potential of eDNA biodiversity monitoring tools in the marine environment with application to offshore renewable energy
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) researches the biological diversity and distribution of species to support management, conservation, and resource use decisions. USGS scientists advance detection and monitoring technologies to assess changes in fish and wildlife populations, biodiversity, and the health of ecosystems. The United States is planning to install 30 gigawatts of offshore marine and wi
California Deepwater Investigations and Groundtruthing (Cal DIG) I, volume 3 — Benthic habitat characterization offshore Morro Bay, California
Estimating species misclassification with occupancy dynamics and encounter rates: A semi-supervised, individual-level approach
Evaluation of MPA designs that protect highly mobile megafauna now and under climate change scenarios
Surface ocean warming and acidification driven by rapid carbon release precedes Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum
Science
Walrus Research
North Pacific Pelagic Seabird Database
Polar Bear Research
Pacific Marine Heatwave
Seabirds and Forage Fish Ecology
Multimedia
In the winter of 2015, the public noticed thousands of dead seabirds washing ashore across the western coast of the United States and Canada. The USGS linked this massive seabird die-off to the North Pacific Marine Heatwave. A marine heatwave occurs when sea surface temperatures are above normal for an extended period of time.
Illustrates where Common Eiders were tracked using Argos Wildlife Tracking.
Illustrates where Common Eiders were tracked using Argos Wildlife Tracking.
![Seabirds and Marine Mammals Photographed During Aerial Surveys Pod of dolphins, viewed from high above the ocean.](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/thumbnails/image/DolphinPod_10112018_r.jpg?itok=5ZohGUYW)
Four Tufted Puffins on the water, near their breeding colony at Gull Island in Kachemak Bay, Alaska
Four Tufted Puffins on the water, near their breeding colony at Gull Island in Kachemak Bay, Alaska
![Fin whale just breaking the surface of the water, viewed from above](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/thumbnails/image/20200901_CAM11069_FinWhale_zoomed.jpg?itok=dwjYmtL5)
Zoomed image of a Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus) breaking the surface.
Zoomed image of a Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus) breaking the surface.
![Argos Wildlife Tracking Pelagic Cormorants - animation](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/thumbnails/image/pelagicCormorant_USGS_ASC_argos_all_animals_animation_geo_v13.gif?itok=thOtlg_d)
Illustrates where Pelagic Cormorants were tracked using Argos Wildlife Tracking.
Illustrates where Pelagic Cormorants were tracked using Argos Wildlife Tracking.
Illustrates where Tufted Puffins were tracked using Argos Wildlife Tracking
Illustrates where Tufted Puffins were tracked using Argos Wildlife Tracking
Illustrates where Northern Fulmars were tracked using Argos Wildlife Tracking.
Illustrates where Northern Fulmars were tracked using Argos Wildlife Tracking.
![Timing is Everything: Fish, Wildlife, and Timing of Life Events](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/thumbnails/video/Staudinger_Jordaan_title_frame.jpg?itok=lYfSN0lM)
Timing is Everything: How Fish and Wildlife are Responding to Climate Change Through Shifts in the Timing of Life Events
Timing is Everything: How Fish and Wildlife are Responding to Climate Change Through Shifts in the Timing of Life Events
News
A new strategy to help unleash USGS eDNA capabilities
What's in a Sea Otter's Microbiome?
Video on the North Pacific Marine Heatwave
Realizing the potential of eDNA biodiversity monitoring tools in the marine environment with application to offshore renewable energy
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) researches the biological diversity and distribution of species to support management, conservation, and resource use decisions. USGS scientists advance detection and monitoring technologies to assess changes in fish and wildlife populations, biodiversity, and the health of ecosystems. The United States is planning to install 30 gigawatts of offshore marine and wi
California Deepwater Investigations and Groundtruthing (Cal DIG) I, volume 3 — Benthic habitat characterization offshore Morro Bay, California
Estimating species misclassification with occupancy dynamics and encounter rates: A semi-supervised, individual-level approach
Evaluation of MPA designs that protect highly mobile megafauna now and under climate change scenarios
Surface ocean warming and acidification driven by rapid carbon release precedes Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum
Human and ecosystem health in coastal systems
Three decades of stranding data reveal insights into endangered hawksbill sea turtles in Hawai‘i
Kelp-forest dynamics controlled by substrate complexity
Characterizing the oral and distal gut microbiota of the threatened southern sea otter (Enhydra lutris nereis) to enhance conservation practice
Parasites in kelp-forest food webs increase food-chain length, complexity, and specialization, but reduce connectance
Subsurface swimming and stationary diving are metabolically cheap in adult Pacific walruses (Odobenus rosmarus divergens)
Viral-like particles are associated with endosymbiont pathology in Florida corals affected by stony coral tissue loss disease
Walrus Research
North Pacific Pelagic Seabird Database
Polar Bear Research
Pacific Marine Heatwave
Seabirds and Forage Fish Ecology
Characterization of Benthic Habitats on the Pacific Margin: Assessing the Connectivity of Hard Substrates, Seeps and Canyon Communities
Nearshore Marine Ecosystem Research
Changing Arctic Ecosystems
Coral Reef Project
Marine Geomorphology, Evolution, and Habitats
California Seafloor Mapping Program
Eastern Ecological Science Center partnership with Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission
Cold-water Coral Microbiomes (Anthothela spp.) from Baltimore and Norfolk Canyons: Raw and Processed Data
Cold-water Coral Microbiomes (Acanthogorgia spp. Desmophyllum dianthus, and Lophelia pertusa) from the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean off the Southeast Coast of the United States-Raw Data
Expanding Pacific Exploration and Research: Overview of the EXPRESS research campaign
A multi-agency team is mapping uncharted waters and exploring deep-sea ecosystems off the west coast of the United States.
Oceans cover 71% of the Earth's surface, yet little is known about these vast underwater worlds. Less than 20% have been explored. A global initiative seeks to change that, by pledging to complete detailed mapping of one-hundred percent of the seafloor by the year 2030..
North Pacific Pelagic Seabird Database (NPPSD)
Non-native marine fishes in Florida: updated checklist, population status and early detection/rapid response data
Stable isotopic insights into Bathymodiolus childressi at two seeps in the US Atlantic margin, data release
Biomarker analysis of cold seeps along the United States Atlantic Margin
Geochemical analysis of authigenic carbonates and chemosynthetic mussels at Atlantic Margin seeps
Cold-water Coral Microbiomes (Astrangia poculata) from Narragansett Bay: Sequence Data
Cold-water Coral Microbiomes (Primnoa spp.) from Gulf of Alaska, Baltimore Canyon, and Norfolk Canyon: Raw Data
Cold-Water Coral Microbiomes (Lophelia pertusa) from Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean: Raw Data
Cold-water coral microbiomes (Paramuricea placomus) from Baltimore Canyon: raw and processed data
In the winter of 2015, the public noticed thousands of dead seabirds washing ashore across the western coast of the United States and Canada. The USGS linked this massive seabird die-off to the North Pacific Marine Heatwave. A marine heatwave occurs when sea surface temperatures are above normal for an extended period of time.
In the winter of 2015, the public noticed thousands of dead seabirds washing ashore across the western coast of the United States and Canada. The USGS linked this massive seabird die-off to the North Pacific Marine Heatwave. A marine heatwave occurs when sea surface temperatures are above normal for an extended period of time.
Illustrates where Common Eiders were tracked using Argos Wildlife Tracking.
Illustrates where Common Eiders were tracked using Argos Wildlife Tracking.
![Seabirds and Marine Mammals Photographed During Aerial Surveys Pod of dolphins, viewed from high above the ocean.](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/thumbnails/image/DolphinPod_10112018_r.jpg?itok=5ZohGUYW)
Four Tufted Puffins on the water, near their breeding colony at Gull Island in Kachemak Bay, Alaska
Four Tufted Puffins on the water, near their breeding colony at Gull Island in Kachemak Bay, Alaska
![Fin whale just breaking the surface of the water, viewed from above](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/thumbnails/image/20200901_CAM11069_FinWhale_zoomed.jpg?itok=dwjYmtL5)
Zoomed image of a Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus) breaking the surface.
Zoomed image of a Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus) breaking the surface.
![Argos Wildlife Tracking Pelagic Cormorants - animation](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/thumbnails/image/pelagicCormorant_USGS_ASC_argos_all_animals_animation_geo_v13.gif?itok=thOtlg_d)
Illustrates where Pelagic Cormorants were tracked using Argos Wildlife Tracking.
Illustrates where Pelagic Cormorants were tracked using Argos Wildlife Tracking.
Illustrates where Tufted Puffins were tracked using Argos Wildlife Tracking
Illustrates where Tufted Puffins were tracked using Argos Wildlife Tracking
Illustrates where Northern Fulmars were tracked using Argos Wildlife Tracking.
Illustrates where Northern Fulmars were tracked using Argos Wildlife Tracking.
![Timing is Everything: Fish, Wildlife, and Timing of Life Events](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/thumbnails/video/Staudinger_Jordaan_title_frame.jpg?itok=lYfSN0lM)
Timing is Everything: How Fish and Wildlife are Responding to Climate Change Through Shifts in the Timing of Life Events
Timing is Everything: How Fish and Wildlife are Responding to Climate Change Through Shifts in the Timing of Life Events
![Photograph of Red plumes burst out from the tops of these chemosynthetic tubeworms](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/thumbnails/image/Seeps3.jpg?itok=dzMriYZj)
Red plumes burst out from the tops of these chemosynthetic tubeworms, capturing hydrogen sulfide and oxygen from the surrounding water to feed their bacterial endosymbionts. The tubeworm tubes provide a habitat for several benthic animals, including the pale pink branching octocorals seen here
Red plumes burst out from the tops of these chemosynthetic tubeworms, capturing hydrogen sulfide and oxygen from the surrounding water to feed their bacterial endosymbionts. The tubeworm tubes provide a habitat for several benthic animals, including the pale pink branching octocorals seen here
![Anemones attached to a rocky outcrop on the seafloor.](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/media/images/CalDIG-1.3.png?itok=19ltVR6L)
These “pom-pom” anemones (Liponema sp.) have attached to the rock in a place where there are probably very good currents, which bring small floating particles of food to them. Water depth is 1041 m (3415 ft).
These “pom-pom” anemones (Liponema sp.) have attached to the rock in a place where there are probably very good currents, which bring small floating particles of food to them. Water depth is 1041 m (3415 ft).
A small juvenile skate (left) and a large rockfish (right) hang out on the murky, silty seafloor with sea stars. Water depth: 856 m (2808 ft).
A small juvenile skate (left) and a large rockfish (right) hang out on the murky, silty seafloor with sea stars. Water depth: 856 m (2808 ft).
See St. Joseph Bay in the Florida Panhandle through the eyes of two young adult female loggerheads as they swim, surface to breathe, dive, forage on underwater grasses and spend time with other sea turtles. Three species of threatened or endangered sea turtles congregate in St. Joseph Bay.
See St. Joseph Bay in the Florida Panhandle through the eyes of two young adult female loggerheads as they swim, surface to breathe, dive, forage on underwater grasses and spend time with other sea turtles. Three species of threatened or endangered sea turtles congregate in St. Joseph Bay.
A loggerhead sea turtle, outfitted with a popoff ADL package (orange item on the turtle’s back), is released by New England Aquarium Biologist Nick Whitney.
A loggerhead sea turtle, outfitted with a popoff ADL package (orange item on the turtle’s back), is released by New England Aquarium Biologist Nick Whitney.
Underwater view of a loggerhead turtle being released with newly installed popoff ADL package (orange item on turtle’s back).
Underwater view of a loggerhead turtle being released with newly installed popoff ADL package (orange item on turtle’s back).
![Horned Puffin, one of the species affected by a recent seabird die-off in the Pribilof Islands, AK](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/thumbnails/image/DSC_2243ed_0.jpg?itok=6gBg6sPb)
Horned Puffin, one of the species affected by a recent seabird die-off in the Pribilof Islands, AK. Near Chisik Island in Lower Cook Inlet, Alaska
Horned Puffin, one of the species affected by a recent seabird die-off in the Pribilof Islands, AK. Near Chisik Island in Lower Cook Inlet, Alaska
Cerulean damselfish dart around lettuce coral off the Cape Range National Park along the Ningaloo Coast in Western Australia. USGS researchers combined forces with Australian colleagues in this UNESCO World Heritage Site to conduct the most extensive study of how erosion of reefs contribute sand to the beaches—a coast’s natural armor.
Cerulean damselfish dart around lettuce coral off the Cape Range National Park along the Ningaloo Coast in Western Australia. USGS researchers combined forces with Australian colleagues in this UNESCO World Heritage Site to conduct the most extensive study of how erosion of reefs contribute sand to the beaches—a coast’s natural armor.
For nearly four decades, the U.S. Geological Survey's Sirenia Project has been committed to understanding the biology and ecology of the West Indian manatee to aid managers in actions that could best help the population. To do this, USGS manatee researchers rely on a variety of tools and techniques.
For nearly four decades, the U.S. Geological Survey's Sirenia Project has been committed to understanding the biology and ecology of the West Indian manatee to aid managers in actions that could best help the population. To do this, USGS manatee researchers rely on a variety of tools and techniques.
![Underwater view of reefs, look like small spiky bushes, with a wave breaking above them.](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/storlazzi.jpg?itok=hsiGk4p0)
Underwater image of a wave breaking over a coral reef on Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. This image shows how the high hydrodynamic roughness of live, healthy corals causes friction that induces breaking of waves over coral reefs, reducing wave energy at the shoreline that can cause flooding and island overwash.
Underwater image of a wave breaking over a coral reef on Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. This image shows how the high hydrodynamic roughness of live, healthy corals causes friction that induces breaking of waves over coral reefs, reducing wave energy at the shoreline that can cause flooding and island overwash.
Tufted Puffin with a meal flying over the Aleutian Islands
Tufted Puffin with a meal flying over the Aleutian Islands
![Red bubblegum coral](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/thumbnails/image/Coral6bubblegum_hiresDESatcopy.jpg?itok=ye0jMydY)
Red bubblegum coral (Paragorgia) and several colonies of Primnoa occupy a boulder in close proximity to an anemone and sea star, at approximately 440 meters depth in Norfolk Canyon. Image courtesy of Deepwater Canyons 2013 – Pathways to the Abyss, NOAA-OER/BOEM/USGS
Red bubblegum coral (Paragorgia) and several colonies of Primnoa occupy a boulder in close proximity to an anemone and sea star, at approximately 440 meters depth in Norfolk Canyon. Image courtesy of Deepwater Canyons 2013 – Pathways to the Abyss, NOAA-OER/BOEM/USGS
Why are coral reefs in peril and what is being done to protect them?
Coral reefs can be damaged by natural processes, such as storms, but they are increasingly at risk from human activities. Oil spills and pollutants can threaten entire reefs. Excessive nutrients from land sources, such as sewage and agricultural fertilizers, promote the growth of algae that can smother corals. Other organisms harmful to corals, such as crown-of-thorns starfish, multiply when the...
How do salmon know where their home is when they return from the ocean?
Salmon come back to the stream where they were 'born' because they 'know' it is a good place to spawn; they won't waste time looking for a stream with good habitat and other salmon. Scientists believe that salmon navigate by using the earth’s magnetic field like a compass. When they find the river they came from, they start using smell to find their way back to their home stream. They build their...
The ocean is home to a wealth of biodiversity - from invisible-to-the-eye microbes to the larger-than-life megafauna - and unique marine habitat, such as deepwater coral reefs, seamounts, and submarine canyons. USGS science helps inform the management and conservation of marine biodiversity and habitats, from the coastlines down to the deepest trench.
Life in the Sea
From the microscopic plants known as phytoplankton that form the basis of the aquatic food web to the largest animal to ever live on Earth, the blue whale, our oceans are home to a wealth of biodiversity and every organism plays a critical role in the structure and function of this expansive marine environment.
Maintaining this biodiversity is important because a healthy ocean provides us with oxygen, helps regulate climate and weather, acts as a source of protein for many people around the world, and provides jobs and opportunities for eco-tourism and recreation. USGS science informs the management and conservation of marine biodiversity and habitats, in both nearshore and deepwater ecosystems.
USGS Role in Marine Ecosystems Research
From the Atlantic to the Pacific and the Gulf of Mexico in between, USGS scientists have implemented a multi-faceted offshore research program that weaves together expertise in a variety of disciplines to investigate nearshore and deepwater ecosystems. This interdisciplinary approach relies on a network of partners from around the Nation and the world to examine microbiology, population genetics, paleoecology, food webs, taxonomy, community ecology, physical oceanography, seafloor characteristics, and submarine hazards in the little explored, yet vital, marine ecosystems.
![FP, George Balazs, Fibropapilloma](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/half_width/public/thumbnails/image/GeorgeHBalazs.jpg?itok=luTWe3a7)
![Argos Wildlife Tracking Northern Fulmar animation](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/half_width/public/thumbnails/image/northernFulmar_USGS_ASC_argos_all_animals_animation_geo_v13.gif?itok=-bQtvmYv)
![A map of South Florida and the Florida keys with yellow lines showing satellite locations of a sea turtle over time](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/half_width/public/thumbnails/image/MaleSeaturtles4.jpg?itok=mSnuOB3U)
USGS Science in Nearshore Ecosystems
Nearshore systems are the habitats in which most people interact with marine environments, which include seabirds, seagrasses, algae, benthic invertebrates and fish, and top predators that include marine mammals like sharks, sea otters, walruses, and even polar bears. USGS research addresses natural and human-induced changes to this ecosystem and all its components.
![An underwater photograph shows a school of brightly colored fish swim over corals.](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/half_width/public/thumbnails/image/Tumon_Guam.jpg?itok=1NItKnhj)
Exploring Deep-sea Ecosystems
Most life in the ocean exists in surface waters above 200 meters depth where they have access to sunlight. However, even below 200 meters, where little to no sunlight reaches, temperatures drop, and pressure increases, abundant life exists. A diversity of organisms, including fishes, crustaceans, cephalopods, anemones, sea stars, microbes, and even corals make their home in the deep sea. These organisms reside on topographically complex terrain mirroring our terrestrial landscape, dotted with features like trenches, seamounts, canyons, and volcanoes. They also leave behind fossils that help geoscientists construct models of ancient ocean conditions and Earth’s geologic history, as shown in the schematic below.
![An illustration of a generalized Mid-Piacenzian marine environment](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/half_width/public/thumbnails/image/ocn_prx_p4_pdgm.jpg?itok=nmlQUlWq)
Life at the Bottom of the Ocean
The mention of the seafloor may evoke thoughts of a deep, dark expanse of nothing, but the often-assumed void of life in the deep sea couldn’t be further from the truth. Even with the lack of sunlight, an average temperature of 4 degrees Celsius, and extreme pressures that an unprotected human could not survive, the deep sea is brimming with biodiversity, including deep-sea corals. The DISCOVRE (DIversity, Systematics and COnnectivity of Vulnerable Reef Ecosystems) program investigates unique and fragile deep-sea coral environments from the microscopic level to the ecosystem level. The multi-disciplinary approach has enhanced our understanding of the structure and function of significant biological communities surrounding deep coral reefs off the United States’ coasts.
![Underwater photo of a rocky outcrop with fish.](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/half_width/public/thumbnails/image/EXPRESS3.jpg?itok=neKKNh7e)
Publications
Realizing the potential of eDNA biodiversity monitoring tools in the marine environment with application to offshore renewable energy
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) researches the biological diversity and distribution of species to support management, conservation, and resource use decisions. USGS scientists advance detection and monitoring technologies to assess changes in fish and wildlife populations, biodiversity, and the health of ecosystems. The United States is planning to install 30 gigawatts of offshore marine and wi
California Deepwater Investigations and Groundtruthing (Cal DIG) I, volume 3 — Benthic habitat characterization offshore Morro Bay, California
Estimating species misclassification with occupancy dynamics and encounter rates: A semi-supervised, individual-level approach
Evaluation of MPA designs that protect highly mobile megafauna now and under climate change scenarios
Surface ocean warming and acidification driven by rapid carbon release precedes Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum
Science
Walrus Research
North Pacific Pelagic Seabird Database
Polar Bear Research
Pacific Marine Heatwave
Seabirds and Forage Fish Ecology
Multimedia
In the winter of 2015, the public noticed thousands of dead seabirds washing ashore across the western coast of the United States and Canada. The USGS linked this massive seabird die-off to the North Pacific Marine Heatwave. A marine heatwave occurs when sea surface temperatures are above normal for an extended period of time.
In the winter of 2015, the public noticed thousands of dead seabirds washing ashore across the western coast of the United States and Canada. The USGS linked this massive seabird die-off to the North Pacific Marine Heatwave. A marine heatwave occurs when sea surface temperatures are above normal for an extended period of time.
Illustrates where Common Eiders were tracked using Argos Wildlife Tracking.
Illustrates where Common Eiders were tracked using Argos Wildlife Tracking.
![Seabirds and Marine Mammals Photographed During Aerial Surveys Pod of dolphins, viewed from high above the ocean.](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/thumbnails/image/DolphinPod_10112018_r.jpg?itok=5ZohGUYW)
Four Tufted Puffins on the water, near their breeding colony at Gull Island in Kachemak Bay, Alaska
Four Tufted Puffins on the water, near their breeding colony at Gull Island in Kachemak Bay, Alaska
![Fin whale just breaking the surface of the water, viewed from above](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/thumbnails/image/20200901_CAM11069_FinWhale_zoomed.jpg?itok=dwjYmtL5)
Zoomed image of a Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus) breaking the surface.
Zoomed image of a Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus) breaking the surface.
![Argos Wildlife Tracking Pelagic Cormorants - animation](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/thumbnails/image/pelagicCormorant_USGS_ASC_argos_all_animals_animation_geo_v13.gif?itok=thOtlg_d)
Illustrates where Pelagic Cormorants were tracked using Argos Wildlife Tracking.
Illustrates where Pelagic Cormorants were tracked using Argos Wildlife Tracking.
Illustrates where Tufted Puffins were tracked using Argos Wildlife Tracking
Illustrates where Tufted Puffins were tracked using Argos Wildlife Tracking
Illustrates where Northern Fulmars were tracked using Argos Wildlife Tracking.
Illustrates where Northern Fulmars were tracked using Argos Wildlife Tracking.
![Timing is Everything: Fish, Wildlife, and Timing of Life Events](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/thumbnails/video/Staudinger_Jordaan_title_frame.jpg?itok=lYfSN0lM)
Timing is Everything: How Fish and Wildlife are Responding to Climate Change Through Shifts in the Timing of Life Events
Timing is Everything: How Fish and Wildlife are Responding to Climate Change Through Shifts in the Timing of Life Events
News
A new strategy to help unleash USGS eDNA capabilities
What's in a Sea Otter's Microbiome?
Video on the North Pacific Marine Heatwave
Realizing the potential of eDNA biodiversity monitoring tools in the marine environment with application to offshore renewable energy
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) researches the biological diversity and distribution of species to support management, conservation, and resource use decisions. USGS scientists advance detection and monitoring technologies to assess changes in fish and wildlife populations, biodiversity, and the health of ecosystems. The United States is planning to install 30 gigawatts of offshore marine and wi
California Deepwater Investigations and Groundtruthing (Cal DIG) I, volume 3 — Benthic habitat characterization offshore Morro Bay, California
Estimating species misclassification with occupancy dynamics and encounter rates: A semi-supervised, individual-level approach
Evaluation of MPA designs that protect highly mobile megafauna now and under climate change scenarios
Surface ocean warming and acidification driven by rapid carbon release precedes Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum
Human and ecosystem health in coastal systems
Three decades of stranding data reveal insights into endangered hawksbill sea turtles in Hawai‘i
Kelp-forest dynamics controlled by substrate complexity
Characterizing the oral and distal gut microbiota of the threatened southern sea otter (Enhydra lutris nereis) to enhance conservation practice
Parasites in kelp-forest food webs increase food-chain length, complexity, and specialization, but reduce connectance
Subsurface swimming and stationary diving are metabolically cheap in adult Pacific walruses (Odobenus rosmarus divergens)
Viral-like particles are associated with endosymbiont pathology in Florida corals affected by stony coral tissue loss disease
Walrus Research
North Pacific Pelagic Seabird Database
Polar Bear Research
Pacific Marine Heatwave
Seabirds and Forage Fish Ecology
Characterization of Benthic Habitats on the Pacific Margin: Assessing the Connectivity of Hard Substrates, Seeps and Canyon Communities
Nearshore Marine Ecosystem Research
Changing Arctic Ecosystems
Coral Reef Project
Marine Geomorphology, Evolution, and Habitats
California Seafloor Mapping Program
Eastern Ecological Science Center partnership with Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission
Cold-water Coral Microbiomes (Anthothela spp.) from Baltimore and Norfolk Canyons: Raw and Processed Data
Cold-water Coral Microbiomes (Acanthogorgia spp. Desmophyllum dianthus, and Lophelia pertusa) from the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean off the Southeast Coast of the United States-Raw Data
Expanding Pacific Exploration and Research: Overview of the EXPRESS research campaign
A multi-agency team is mapping uncharted waters and exploring deep-sea ecosystems off the west coast of the United States.
Oceans cover 71% of the Earth's surface, yet little is known about these vast underwater worlds. Less than 20% have been explored. A global initiative seeks to change that, by pledging to complete detailed mapping of one-hundred percent of the seafloor by the year 2030..
North Pacific Pelagic Seabird Database (NPPSD)
Non-native marine fishes in Florida: updated checklist, population status and early detection/rapid response data
Stable isotopic insights into Bathymodiolus childressi at two seeps in the US Atlantic margin, data release
Biomarker analysis of cold seeps along the United States Atlantic Margin
Geochemical analysis of authigenic carbonates and chemosynthetic mussels at Atlantic Margin seeps
Cold-water Coral Microbiomes (Astrangia poculata) from Narragansett Bay: Sequence Data
Cold-water Coral Microbiomes (Primnoa spp.) from Gulf of Alaska, Baltimore Canyon, and Norfolk Canyon: Raw Data
Cold-Water Coral Microbiomes (Lophelia pertusa) from Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean: Raw Data
Cold-water coral microbiomes (Paramuricea placomus) from Baltimore Canyon: raw and processed data
In the winter of 2015, the public noticed thousands of dead seabirds washing ashore across the western coast of the United States and Canada. The USGS linked this massive seabird die-off to the North Pacific Marine Heatwave. A marine heatwave occurs when sea surface temperatures are above normal for an extended period of time.
In the winter of 2015, the public noticed thousands of dead seabirds washing ashore across the western coast of the United States and Canada. The USGS linked this massive seabird die-off to the North Pacific Marine Heatwave. A marine heatwave occurs when sea surface temperatures are above normal for an extended period of time.
Illustrates where Common Eiders were tracked using Argos Wildlife Tracking.
Illustrates where Common Eiders were tracked using Argos Wildlife Tracking.
![Seabirds and Marine Mammals Photographed During Aerial Surveys Pod of dolphins, viewed from high above the ocean.](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/thumbnails/image/DolphinPod_10112018_r.jpg?itok=5ZohGUYW)
Four Tufted Puffins on the water, near their breeding colony at Gull Island in Kachemak Bay, Alaska
Four Tufted Puffins on the water, near their breeding colony at Gull Island in Kachemak Bay, Alaska
![Fin whale just breaking the surface of the water, viewed from above](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/thumbnails/image/20200901_CAM11069_FinWhale_zoomed.jpg?itok=dwjYmtL5)
Zoomed image of a Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus) breaking the surface.
Zoomed image of a Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus) breaking the surface.
![Argos Wildlife Tracking Pelagic Cormorants - animation](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/thumbnails/image/pelagicCormorant_USGS_ASC_argos_all_animals_animation_geo_v13.gif?itok=thOtlg_d)
Illustrates where Pelagic Cormorants were tracked using Argos Wildlife Tracking.
Illustrates where Pelagic Cormorants were tracked using Argos Wildlife Tracking.
Illustrates where Tufted Puffins were tracked using Argos Wildlife Tracking
Illustrates where Tufted Puffins were tracked using Argos Wildlife Tracking
Illustrates where Northern Fulmars were tracked using Argos Wildlife Tracking.
Illustrates where Northern Fulmars were tracked using Argos Wildlife Tracking.
![Timing is Everything: Fish, Wildlife, and Timing of Life Events](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/thumbnails/video/Staudinger_Jordaan_title_frame.jpg?itok=lYfSN0lM)
Timing is Everything: How Fish and Wildlife are Responding to Climate Change Through Shifts in the Timing of Life Events
Timing is Everything: How Fish and Wildlife are Responding to Climate Change Through Shifts in the Timing of Life Events
![Photograph of Red plumes burst out from the tops of these chemosynthetic tubeworms](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/thumbnails/image/Seeps3.jpg?itok=dzMriYZj)
Red plumes burst out from the tops of these chemosynthetic tubeworms, capturing hydrogen sulfide and oxygen from the surrounding water to feed their bacterial endosymbionts. The tubeworm tubes provide a habitat for several benthic animals, including the pale pink branching octocorals seen here
Red plumes burst out from the tops of these chemosynthetic tubeworms, capturing hydrogen sulfide and oxygen from the surrounding water to feed their bacterial endosymbionts. The tubeworm tubes provide a habitat for several benthic animals, including the pale pink branching octocorals seen here
![Anemones attached to a rocky outcrop on the seafloor.](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/media/images/CalDIG-1.3.png?itok=19ltVR6L)
These “pom-pom” anemones (Liponema sp.) have attached to the rock in a place where there are probably very good currents, which bring small floating particles of food to them. Water depth is 1041 m (3415 ft).
These “pom-pom” anemones (Liponema sp.) have attached to the rock in a place where there are probably very good currents, which bring small floating particles of food to them. Water depth is 1041 m (3415 ft).
A small juvenile skate (left) and a large rockfish (right) hang out on the murky, silty seafloor with sea stars. Water depth: 856 m (2808 ft).
A small juvenile skate (left) and a large rockfish (right) hang out on the murky, silty seafloor with sea stars. Water depth: 856 m (2808 ft).
See St. Joseph Bay in the Florida Panhandle through the eyes of two young adult female loggerheads as they swim, surface to breathe, dive, forage on underwater grasses and spend time with other sea turtles. Three species of threatened or endangered sea turtles congregate in St. Joseph Bay.
See St. Joseph Bay in the Florida Panhandle through the eyes of two young adult female loggerheads as they swim, surface to breathe, dive, forage on underwater grasses and spend time with other sea turtles. Three species of threatened or endangered sea turtles congregate in St. Joseph Bay.
A loggerhead sea turtle, outfitted with a popoff ADL package (orange item on the turtle’s back), is released by New England Aquarium Biologist Nick Whitney.
A loggerhead sea turtle, outfitted with a popoff ADL package (orange item on the turtle’s back), is released by New England Aquarium Biologist Nick Whitney.
Underwater view of a loggerhead turtle being released with newly installed popoff ADL package (orange item on turtle’s back).
Underwater view of a loggerhead turtle being released with newly installed popoff ADL package (orange item on turtle’s back).
![Horned Puffin, one of the species affected by a recent seabird die-off in the Pribilof Islands, AK](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/thumbnails/image/DSC_2243ed_0.jpg?itok=6gBg6sPb)
Horned Puffin, one of the species affected by a recent seabird die-off in the Pribilof Islands, AK. Near Chisik Island in Lower Cook Inlet, Alaska
Horned Puffin, one of the species affected by a recent seabird die-off in the Pribilof Islands, AK. Near Chisik Island in Lower Cook Inlet, Alaska
Cerulean damselfish dart around lettuce coral off the Cape Range National Park along the Ningaloo Coast in Western Australia. USGS researchers combined forces with Australian colleagues in this UNESCO World Heritage Site to conduct the most extensive study of how erosion of reefs contribute sand to the beaches—a coast’s natural armor.
Cerulean damselfish dart around lettuce coral off the Cape Range National Park along the Ningaloo Coast in Western Australia. USGS researchers combined forces with Australian colleagues in this UNESCO World Heritage Site to conduct the most extensive study of how erosion of reefs contribute sand to the beaches—a coast’s natural armor.
For nearly four decades, the U.S. Geological Survey's Sirenia Project has been committed to understanding the biology and ecology of the West Indian manatee to aid managers in actions that could best help the population. To do this, USGS manatee researchers rely on a variety of tools and techniques.
For nearly four decades, the U.S. Geological Survey's Sirenia Project has been committed to understanding the biology and ecology of the West Indian manatee to aid managers in actions that could best help the population. To do this, USGS manatee researchers rely on a variety of tools and techniques.
![Underwater view of reefs, look like small spiky bushes, with a wave breaking above them.](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/storlazzi.jpg?itok=hsiGk4p0)
Underwater image of a wave breaking over a coral reef on Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. This image shows how the high hydrodynamic roughness of live, healthy corals causes friction that induces breaking of waves over coral reefs, reducing wave energy at the shoreline that can cause flooding and island overwash.
Underwater image of a wave breaking over a coral reef on Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. This image shows how the high hydrodynamic roughness of live, healthy corals causes friction that induces breaking of waves over coral reefs, reducing wave energy at the shoreline that can cause flooding and island overwash.
Tufted Puffin with a meal flying over the Aleutian Islands
Tufted Puffin with a meal flying over the Aleutian Islands
![Red bubblegum coral](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/thumbnails/image/Coral6bubblegum_hiresDESatcopy.jpg?itok=ye0jMydY)
Red bubblegum coral (Paragorgia) and several colonies of Primnoa occupy a boulder in close proximity to an anemone and sea star, at approximately 440 meters depth in Norfolk Canyon. Image courtesy of Deepwater Canyons 2013 – Pathways to the Abyss, NOAA-OER/BOEM/USGS
Red bubblegum coral (Paragorgia) and several colonies of Primnoa occupy a boulder in close proximity to an anemone and sea star, at approximately 440 meters depth in Norfolk Canyon. Image courtesy of Deepwater Canyons 2013 – Pathways to the Abyss, NOAA-OER/BOEM/USGS
Why are coral reefs in peril and what is being done to protect them?
Coral reefs can be damaged by natural processes, such as storms, but they are increasingly at risk from human activities. Oil spills and pollutants can threaten entire reefs. Excessive nutrients from land sources, such as sewage and agricultural fertilizers, promote the growth of algae that can smother corals. Other organisms harmful to corals, such as crown-of-thorns starfish, multiply when the...
How do salmon know where their home is when they return from the ocean?
Salmon come back to the stream where they were 'born' because they 'know' it is a good place to spawn; they won't waste time looking for a stream with good habitat and other salmon. Scientists believe that salmon navigate by using the earth’s magnetic field like a compass. When they find the river they came from, they start using smell to find their way back to their home stream. They build their...