Plankton

Latest news

Researchers to unveil Antarctic secrets

11 January 2023

As New Zealanders search for the summer sun, 38 researchers and crew will board RV Tangaroa tomorrow for a six-week science voyage deep into the waters of Antarctica.

NIWA heads to Antarctica for critical climate, ocean research

Media Release

8 January 2021

NIWA’s flagship research vessel Tangaroa leaves soon on a six-week voyage to Antarctica, making it one of the few full scientific expeditions to the continent since the global outbreak of COVID-19.

Scientists return from Antarctic voyage

Media Release

14 February 2019

After travelling almost 12,000km in the past six weeks, a group of scientists returns to Wellington at the weekend with new knowledge about life in the Ross Sea of Antarctica.

Investigating ocean acidification

Feature story

6 June 2017

The world’s oceans are acidifying as a result of the carbon dioxide (CO2) generated by humanity.

Latest videos

Dive into the alien world of plankton in the Ross Sea

Plankton are the base of the oceans food web and are vital to our survival. But as our world changes will they be able to continue to play this essential role? Join us as we follow a group of NIWA scientists investigating various aspects of this question in the ocean around Antarctica.

Powering diversity in the Ross Sea

Fisheries scientist Dr Pablo Escobar-Flores delves into Antarctic mesopelagic science with a look at the small animals and organisms that help power the amazing diversity of life in the Ross Sea.

Ocean acidification—what is it?

The on-going rise of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in the atmosphere is not only changing our climate—it is also changing our oceans. Take a look at the work of the NIWA-led CARIM project into what these changes may mean for the delicate balance of marine life.

NIWA Blake Ambassadors Vlog 3: It's bongo time!

NIWA Blake Ambassador—Lana Young—explains how bongo nets are deployed to collect plankton around the clock on board the RV Tangaroa. How do you analyse and classify plankton according to size then store them for a permanent record? [Video: Lana Young]

NIWA/Blake Ambassadors Blog 1

24 October 2018: NIWA Blake Ambassadors Lana Young and Siobhan O'Connor report back

The Year of the Salps project

Students at Leigh School have been working with marine scientists and the 'Year of the Salps' project partners to learn how to count sea salps, understand salp life cycle phases and the importance of salps in marine ecosystems and their carbon-cycling effects on climate change.

TAN1810 Voyage partners, collaborators and funders

Who is involved in the TAN1810 SalPOOP voyage?

The Ocean Vacuum cleaner: Salp bloom effects on the carbon cycle and marine food web

The RV Tangaroa is working across the Chatham Rise and the east coast of the South Island Oct/Nov 2018. The TAN1810 voyage will focus on the special role salps play in carbon cycling, and where they fit in marine food webs off the New Zealand coast.

Blog: Plankton blooms and clouds - what's the link? - 11 March

11 March 2018

Today we found NIWA’s Andrew Marriner hard at work in the Ocean-Atmosphere Container Lab and asked him to explain his work onboard.

Blog: Ross Sea phytoplankton - 26 February 2018

26 February 2018

In the last few days our microbial team has been doing intensive sampling of the water column using the CTD, which is deployed every day around noon.

Iron Fertilisation

Is ocean iron addition part of the solution to climate change? Cliff Law, NIWA explains:

What is ocean acidification?

Ocean acidification is the name given to the lowering of pH of the oceans as a result of increasing carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere.

Investigating ocean acidification

Feature story

6 June 2017

The world’s oceans are acidifying as a result of the carbon dioxide (CO2) generated by humanity.

It’s a small world after all

For the last couple of days we have been sampling near L’Esperance Rock.

Voyage leader's final update

Blog

11 March 2015

Now back on dry land, Voyage Leader Richard O'Driscoll reflects on the final days of RV Tangaroa's 2015 Antarctica expedition.

Travelling with the blues

Blog

16 February 2015

NIWA voyage leader Dr Richard O’Driscoll updates the Tangaroa’s encounter with the planet’s largest living beings – the Antarctic blue whales – and discovers what’s on their menu.

Upgraded research vessel

Feature story

12 December 2010

The return of the upgraded RV Tangaroa represents a huge advancement for New Zealand science and exploration

NIWA today welcomed home RV Tangaroa, New Zealand’s only deepwater research vessel, after a $20 million dollar upgrade to enhance its ocean science and survey capabilities.

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