Pelican

The Southeast Area Monitoring and Assessment Program (SEAMAP) Shrimp/Groundfish trawl surveys are conducted throughout the Gulf of Mexico to provide fishery-independent monitoring and assessment information on shrimp and groundfish assemblages associated with low relief soft bottom habitats. These data are essential to the management of the fisheries resources in the Gulf of Mexico. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF), as well as SEAMAP state partners, sample in conjunction with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to provide a Gulf-wide trawl survey each summer and fall.

The primary purpose of this research cruise is to train summer Research Experience for Undergraduate (REU) students in shipboard sampling methods of ocean observing. We bring ~11 undergraduate students to sea with us each cruise. We have been doing these cruises annually (barring pandemic) since 2016 and have used this time-series oceanographically to characterize the extent of hypoxia in the northern Gulf of Mexico (Texas-Louisiana Shelf). Other scientific interests on these cruises include tracking phytoplankton community composition across the study region, measuring contaminants in the water column and sediments, sampling for trace metal concentrations from surface waters, and in some years deploying ocean observing sensors systems (Acrobat, glider deployment). Some of the undergraduates use the data or samples from the cruise as a basis for their summer research projects during the REU program. We have a set of 14 stations that we sample each year, which are in the shape of a triangle from Galveston, TX to Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary on the shelf-break, to a site near Louisiana. REU students will be trained of field observation methods: CTD hydrocasts, water sampling, shipboard oxygen measurements, sediment grab sampling, and surface trace metal sampling (using a towed pump). There is also sometimes Acrobat deployments. We also make use of the shipboard seawater supply system to monitor phytoplankton composition (using a FlowCytobot plumbed to the ship's flow-through seawater), and we also collect some large carboys of surface water at select stations.

This project uses a network of underwater microphones to record marine mammals throughout U.S. and Mexican waters in the Gulf and gather information on their location and density throughout the year. The data from this comprehensive and long-term passive acoustic monitoring program will be used to understand and mitigate anthropogenic noise impacts on marine mammals. This project complements and expands prior passive acoustic monitoring in the region. Data collection is ongoing at four historic long-term reference sites and 1 additional long-term reference site, as well as two short term sites which are moved annually as needed to understand local noise conditions in key areas of interest. The project team is engaging with federal and state agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and private industry to make sure their findings are reaching the people who are making decisions that impact marine mammal management. This project is also coordinated with an oceanic marine mammal-focused project supported by the NOAA RESTORE Science Program.

Viruses, more specifically phages, are considered the most abundant biological entities on our planet. Despite that all microbial populations are impacted by viral infections, little is known regarding the impact of viral infections on specific microbial populations, and the direct and indirect consequences of virus–microbe interactions for biogeochemical cycles. Dissimilatory sulfate reduction directly links the global elemental cycles of carbon and sulfur. Quantitatively, sulfate reduction is most important process to degrade organic matter in anoxic marine sediment. This project will investigate the relationship between viral activity and sediment microbial metabolism, in particular sulfate reduction through environmental observations, process-oriented biogeochemical incubations and modeling. This research will lead to novel insight into the interactions between viruses and microorganisms, and how they control early diagenetic processes by (i) determining the impact of viruses on sediment metabolism in general, (ii) quantifying the influence of viruses on microbial sulfate reduction rates, (iii) elucidating the interactions of sulfate reducing microorganisms and viruses. These results will then be incorporated in a reactive transport model to describe viral dynamics and their interactions with the C, S, and Fe cycles.

Aseries of hydrographic stations for CTD and Water collection. These data are supplied to the NCEIS and the federal/state Hypoxia Task Force for inclusion into their long-term data base dating from 1985. Hydrographic profiles will be collected using the R/V Pelican’s SeaBird 911+ CTD unit equipped with pressure sensor, altimeter, redundant pumped temperature, conductivity and dissolved oxygen sensors, % transmission, PAR and in vivo fluorescence for estimate of chlorophyll biomass. The PI will bring an EXO3 for close-to-bottom dissolved oxygen (DO) measurements and as a backup instrument if something happens to the CTD during the cruise.Oxygen titrations using the Winkler method will be used to pre-cruise check the various oxygen sensors, and post-calibrate, if necessary, the dissolved oxygen from the SeaBird CTD or the EXO3. Post cruise cross-checks of salinity will also be conducted on the two instruments’ conductivity probes for post-calibration, if necessary. Underway data from the R/V Pelican will be collected and coupled with integrated data for GPS navigational, meteorological (wind speed and direction, barometric pressure, air temperature, relative humidity and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR)), and sea surface hydrographic (temperature, conductivity, % transmission, and in vivo fluorescence) data.

The MERCI cruises are multi-mission expeditions co-sponsored by both the NOAA Coral Propagation Techniques (CPT) as well as Habitat Assessment and Evaluation (HAE) projects to support coral propagation activities as well as documenting and mesophotic and deep benthic communities and habitats under the Mesophotic and Deep Benthic Communities portfolio (MDBC). MERCI (Mesophotic Expeditions for the Restoration of Coral and other Invertebrates) missions began in 2022 to support coral husbandry and propagation as well as habitat and community assessment in reference areas not affected by the Deepwater Horizon Oil spill. Thus far, the expeditions have been conducted in and around the Flower Garden’s National Marine Sanctuary (FGBNMS) West of the Mississippi River. The MERCI-6 expedition will follow upon previous expeditions, working in the mesophotic depth zone (50 - 400 m) of the northwestern Gulf of America with an observation-class ROV. The vehicle will conduct exploratory transects, building on knowledge in and around the FGBNMS expansion area. The ROV will collect coral samples for live aquaria, coral husbandry, reproduction, genetic, and microbiome studies.

We propose to use on-deck/laboratory incubations to trace the fate of N in amino acids in the ocean. We will trace the fate of 9 different amino acids, including phenylalanine (Phe), glutamic acid (Glu), arginine (Arg), leucine (Leu), methionine (Met), tryptophan (Trp), aspartic acid (Asp), proline (Pro), and serine (Ser), and monitor their transformation in surface ocean. Our overarching hypothesis is that a higher percentage of N from essential amino acids will contribute to the production of refractory DON than those non-essential ones. The main approach to test the hypothesis is through our recently developed methods for 15N analysis. We will quantitatively measure each 15N form (NH4, NO2, NO3, PON, and DON) during the amino acid degradation, and identify 15N-DON molecules using advanced mass spectrometry. Through on-deck incubation of 15N-labeled amino acids, our two specific objectives are to: (1) Quantify the proportions of amino acid N that is remineralized to inorganic N, labile DON, and relatively refractory DON throughout the incubation, and (2) Characterize the amino acid-derived DON on a molecular level, which will be further used to expand the established amino acid-derived DON database, and to determine whether the amino acid derived DON is present in natural samples.

The project will test key hypotheses about deep-sea methane dynamics including determining if there are significant lags in microbial responses after exposure to elevated methane concentrations, determining the relationships of AMOR to methane and DIN concentrations and investigating the response times and magnitude of methanotrophs to spatial and temporal variability in methane concentration. Successful collection of in situ AMOR and associated microbial community data will prove important for modeling ocean methane dynamics over a range of oceanographic conditions including seep-enriched bottom waters and accidental hydrocarbon releases.

We will be conducting sediment coring and hydrocast surveys, and running experiments using radioisotope on the Louisiana Shelf in late summer/fall 2026 and spring 2027.

Jessica Fitzsimmons, James Moffett, and Nicholas Hawco propose to collect four large volume (1000 L) seawater samples to develop an archive of consensus materials for trace metal analysis. Samples will be collected from the surface and 1000m at the Station ALOHA, and from two stations in the Gulf of Mexico influenced by the Mississippi River outflow. Samples will be collected and filtered using trace metal clean techniques into large-volume tanks, homogenized, and then dispensed into 500mL bottles for archiving and distribution to the community. Samples will be analyzed by groups worldwide for a suite of dissolved trace metals. Their data will be analyzed in collaboration with Antonio Possolo, of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Consensus values derived from this synthesis for each element will be reported on the US GEOTRACES Web Site and in a peer-reviewed publication. The majority of samples will be archived for distribution, replacing the exhausted archives of previous intercomparison projects. The last two decades have seen great advances in our knowledge about the distribution and biogeochemical cycles of trace elements in the ocean. This was possible because laboratories worldwide had confidence that their analyses were producing consistent results. The establishment and distribution of consensus standards, from the SAFe (2004) and GEOTRACES (2008-2009) programs, were critical in this development. We propose to collect samples from Station ALOHA, where water chemistry will be very similar to the valuable samples collected in those former consensus-building programs. Those earlier efforts also revealed that there were some intercalibration issues that need to be addressed. For example, copper displays surprising variability in reported values that did not appear to arise from contamination, but could reflect artifacts arising from Cu complexation by organic matter for specific protocols. Cobalt shows similar issues, while vanishingly low surface oligotrophic concentrations of cadmium, zinc, and iron can prevent strong consensus against significant blanks at the picomolar level. These issues and others will be explored by Fitzsimmons, Moffett, Hawco, and other participants in the course of consensus building. Recent field campaigns in margins and estuaries have underscored the importance of a consensus standard in waters containing high concentrations of dissolved organic matter, which may create analytical artifacts for copper and other metals. It also needs to be determined what the constraints on long term storage are for such samples. This is the rationale for collecting a high-organics, lower salinity sample in the Gulf of Mexico.

The project will test key hypotheses about deep-sea methane dynamics including determining if there are significant lags in microbial responses after exposure to elevated methane concentrations, determining the relationships of AMOR to methane and DIN concentrations and investigating the response times and magnitude of methanotrophs to spatial and temporal variability in methane concentration. Successful collection of in situ AMOR and associated microbial community data will prove important for modeling ocean methane dynamics over a range of oceanographic conditions including seep-enriched bottom waters and accidental hydrocarbon releases.

The Southeast Area Monitoring and Assessment Program (SEAMAP) Shrimp/Groundfish trawl surveys are conducted throughout the Gulf of Mexico to provide fishery-independent monitoring and assessment information on shrimp and groundfish assemblages associated with low relief soft bottom habitats. These data are essential to the management of the fisheries resources in the Gulf of Mexico. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF), as well as SEAMAP state partners, sample in conjunction with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to provide a Gulf-wide trawl survey each summer and fall.

Service visit for a Fugro Wavescan buoy. Plan will be to bring out a new buoy and mooring line to swap with the deployed mooring. Crane, A frame, and winch needed for operations.

EPA plans to conduct sediment monitoring survey at the Mississippi River Southwest Pass Ocean Dredged Material Disposal Site (SWP ODMDS). The survey will have a science party of up to 8-10 people. The overall objective of the survey is to collect samples of sediments and benthic infauna to be analyzed for biological, chemical, and physical parameters that can be used to evaluate the impact of disposal on the marine environment in and around the Mississippi Southwest Pass ODMDS. The secondary objective of this survey is to collect benthic tissue from areas outside of the influence of dredged material to understand background levels of the contaminants in benthic tissues.

Sediment dynamics are inherently linked to biogeochemical processes but rarely including in formulations of mobility and transport. This field work supports on-going laboratory and numerical modeling of sediment dynamics in varying seabed compositions with inclusion of collocated biocohesion and bioturbation affects.

We will be conducting sediment coring and hydrocast surveys, and running experiments using radioisotope on the Louisiana Shelf in late summer/fall 2026 and spring 2027.

Coastal hypoxia occurs when dissolved oxygen decreases below 2 mg/L (~62.5 µM), impacting marine animals, including valuable fisheries species. One of the largest hypoxic zones occurs along the Louisiana-Texas continental shelf, where bottom water dissolved oxygen depletion can cover tens of thousands of square kilometers, with substantial impacts on fisheries and the local and regional economies. The majority of marine dissolved oxygen consumption results from microbial metabolism, however, the relative contributions of different microbial metabolisms to oxygen consumption remains unknown, limiting our ability to link microbial community composition and abundance with oxygen dynamics. The overarching question addressed by our work is: how is total oxygen consumption partitioned across different microbial groups with unique oxidative metabolisms? We will quantify rates of metabolic activity from the most abundant dead zone microorganisms using a combination of in situ measurements, shipboard incubations and collections that lead to single cell-sorting, advanced multi-omics, culturing, and metabolic modeling. This research will quantify the energy sources and oxygen consumption rates of the most important coastal microbes responsible for oxygen drawdown and model the microbial guilds responsible for the most critical metabolisms associated with the seasonal cycle of coastal hypoxia.

Recover compound mooring with 3 m surface buoy with redeployment planned for later on in June 2027.

Deploy compound mooring with 3 m surface buoy that was previously recovered in May 2027.

Aseries of hydrographic stations for CTD and Water collection. These data are supplied to the NCEIS and the federal/state Hypoxia Task Force for inclusion into their long-term data base dating from 1985. Hydrographic profiles will be collected using the R/V Pelican’s SeaBird 911+ CTD unit equipped with pressure sensor, altimeter, redundant pumped temperature, conductivity and dissolved oxygen sensors, % transmission, PAR and in vivo fluorescence for estimate of chlorophyll biomass. The PI will bring an EXO3 for close-to-bottom dissolved oxygen (DO) measurements and as a backup instrument if something happens to the CTD during the cruise.Oxygen titrations using the Winkler method will be used to pre-cruise check the various oxygen sensors, and post-calibrate, if necessary, the dissolved oxygen from the SeaBird CTD or the EXO3. Post cruise cross-checks of salinity will also be conducted on the two instruments’ conductivity probes for post-calibration, if necessary. Underway data from the R/V Pelican will be collected and coupled with integrated data for GPS navigational, meteorological (wind speed and direction, barometric pressure, air temperature, relative humidity and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR)), and sea surface hydrographic (temperature, conductivity, % transmission, and in vivo fluorescence) data.

Coastal hypoxia occurs when dissolved oxygen decreases below 2 mg/L (~62.5 µM), impacting marine animals, including valuable fisheries species. One of the largest hypoxic zones occurs along the Louisiana-Texas continental shelf, where bottom water dissolved oxygen depletion can cover tens of thousands of square kilometers, with substantial impacts on fisheries and the local and regional economies. The majority of marine dissolved oxygen consumption results from microbial metabolism, however, the relative contributions of different microbial metabolisms to oxygen consumption remains unknown, limiting our ability to link microbial community composition and abundance with oxygen dynamics. The overarching question addressed by our work is: how is total oxygen consumption partitioned across different microbial groups with unique oxidative metabolisms? We will quantify rates of metabolic activity from the most abundant dead zone microorganisms using a combination of in situ measurements, shipboard incubations and collections that lead to single cell-sorting, advanced multi-omics, culturing, and metabolic modeling. This research will quantify the energy sources and oxygen consumption rates of the most important coastal microbes responsible for oxygen drawdown and model the microbial guilds responsible for the most critical metabolisms associated with the seasonal cycle of coastal hypoxia.

Deep-sea fishes are agents of ecological connectivity in the largest marine ecosystem on Earth. Mobile mesopelagic fauna (inhabiting 200 - 1000 m depths) are important prey for economically valuable fishes (e.g., deep snappers and groupers) and species of high conservation value (e.g., endangered deep-diving marine mammals). However, they are one of the least studied faunal groups on Earth, with quantitative estimates of the abundance, composition, and biomass of these organisms poorly constrained. Here, we propose an integrated, multidisciplinary study to examine the short-term dynamics in composition, density, and fine-scale vertical distribution patterns of deep-living fish fauna across pelagic, benthopelagic, and benthic habitats relative to both biotic and abiotic variables. We will use an established benthic lander system (ALBEX) with novel benthopelagic imaging capabilities and a low-disturbance autonomous vehicle (VAMPIRE) to collect, in unprecedented detail, stereo images, active acoustic, and abiotic data from the oceanic rim, and leverage existing data to provide taxonomic and broad-scale ecological context. By combining these multiple approaches, we will progress our understanding of the dynamic cross-ecosystem linkages that exist between midwater prey taxa and their benthopelagic and demersal predators.

Coastal hypoxia occurs when dissolved oxygen decreases below 2 mg/L (~62.5 µM), impacting marine animals, including valuable fisheries species. One of the largest hypoxic zones occurs along the Louisiana-Texas continental shelf, where bottom water dissolved oxygen depletion can cover tens of thousands of square kilometers, with substantial impacts on fisheries and the local and regional economies. The majority of marine dissolved oxygen consumption results from microbial metabolism, however, the relative contributions of different microbial metabolisms to oxygen consumption remains unknown, limiting our ability to link microbial community composition and abundance with oxygen dynamics. The overarching question addressed by our work is: how is total oxygen consumption partitioned across different microbial groups with unique oxidative metabolisms? We will quantify rates of metabolic activity from the most abundant dead zone microorganisms using a combination of in situ measurements, shipboard incubations and collections that lead to single cell-sorting, advanced multi-omics, culturing, and metabolic modeling. This research will quantify the energy sources and oxygen consumption rates of the most important coastal microbes responsible for oxygen drawdown and model the microbial guilds responsible for the most critical metabolisms associated with the seasonal cycle of coastal hypoxia.

The thallium (Tl) isotope system has been drawing increasing attention as a promising tracer for global ocean oxygen content changes on millennial to million-year timescales. Despite considerable research on marine Tl mass balance and increasing applications of Tl isotopes as a paleo-redox proxy, there is a notable gap in our understanding of Tl source/sink fluxes at the land–ocean boundary. Additional research on the Tl transfer at the land-ocean boundary (e.g., boundary exchange due to particle reactivity changes along the salinity gradient) and Tl diagenesis in various sedimentary environments (e.g., various lithology and redox environments) are thus critical to narrow down uncertainties of the marine Tl mass balance, with important implications of marine Tl geochemistry and interpretations of paleo-redox reconstructions from Tl isotopes. The proposed cruises aim to investigate the magnitude of Tl benthic fluxes under dynamic continental margin environments (e.g., redox and clay mineralogy) via field sampling of water columns, porewaters, in-situ incubation and sequential extraction of sediment cores from the Gulf of America and end members from the Mississippi River.

Coastal hypoxia occurs when dissolved oxygen decreases below 2 mg/L (~62.5 µM), impacting marine animals, including valuable fisheries species. One of the largest hypoxic zones occurs along the Louisiana-Texas continental shelf, where bottom water dissolved oxygen depletion can cover tens of thousands of square kilometers, with substantial impacts on fisheries and the local and regional economies. The majority of marine dissolved oxygen consumption results from microbial metabolism, however, the relative contributions of different microbial metabolisms to oxygen consumption remains unknown, limiting our ability to link microbial community composition and abundance with oxygen dynamics. The overarching question addressed by our work is: how is total oxygen consumption partitioned across different microbial groups with unique oxidative metabolisms? We will quantify rates of metabolic activity from the most abundant dead zone microorganisms using a combination of in situ measurements, shipboard incubations and collections that lead to single cell-sorting, advanced multi-omics, culturing, and metabolic modeling. This research will quantify the energy sources and oxygen consumption rates of the most important coastal microbes responsible for oxygen drawdown and model the microbial guilds responsible for the most critical metabolisms associated with the seasonal cycle of coastal hypoxia.

Recover compound mooring with 3 m surface buoy with redeployment planned for later on in May/June 2028.

Deploy compound mooring with 3 m surface buoy that was previously recovered in May 2028.

The thallium (Tl) isotope system has been drawing increasing attention as a promising tracer for global ocean oxygen content changes on millennial to million-year timescales. Despite considerable research on marine Tl mass balance and increasing applications of Tl isotopes as a paleo-redox proxy, there is a notable gap in our understanding of Tl source/sink fluxes at the land–ocean boundary. Additional research on the Tl transfer at the land-ocean boundary (e.g., boundary exchange due to particle reactivity changes along the salinity gradient) and Tl diagenesis in various sedimentary environments (e.g., various lithology and redox environments) are thus critical to narrow down uncertainties of the marine Tl mass balance, with important implications of marine Tl geochemistry and interpretations of paleo-redox reconstructions from Tl isotopes. The proposed cruises aim to investigate the magnitude of Tl benthic fluxes under dynamic continental margin environments (e.g., redox and clay mineralogy) via field sampling of water columns, porewaters, in-situ incubation and sequential extraction of sediment cores from the Gulf of America and end members from the Mississippi River.

Coastal hypoxia occurs when dissolved oxygen decreases below 2 mg/L (~62.5 µM), impacting marine animals, including valuable fisheries species. One of the largest hypoxic zones occurs along the Louisiana-Texas continental shelf, where bottom water dissolved oxygen depletion can cover tens of thousands of square kilometers, with substantial impacts on fisheries and the local and regional economies. The majority of marine dissolved oxygen consumption results from microbial metabolism, however, the relative contributions of different microbial metabolisms to oxygen consumption remains unknown, limiting our ability to link microbial community composition and abundance with oxygen dynamics. The overarching question addressed by our work is: how is total oxygen consumption partitioned across different microbial groups with unique oxidative metabolisms? We will quantify rates of metabolic activity from the most abundant dead zone microorganisms using a combination of in situ measurements, shipboard incubations and collections that lead to single cell-sorting, advanced multi-omics, culturing, and metabolic modeling. This research will quantify the energy sources and oxygen consumption rates of the most important coastal microbes responsible for oxygen drawdown and model the microbial guilds responsible for the most critical metabolisms associated with the seasonal cycle of coastal hypoxia.

Coastal hypoxia occurs when dissolved oxygen decreases below 2 mg/L (~62.5 µM), impacting marine animals, including valuable fisheries species. One of the largest hypoxic zones occurs along the Louisiana-Texas continental shelf, where bottom water dissolved oxygen depletion can cover tens of thousands of square kilometers, with substantial impacts on fisheries and the local and regional economies. The majority of marine dissolved oxygen consumption results from microbial metabolism, however, the relative contributions of different microbial metabolisms to oxygen consumption remains unknown, limiting our ability to link microbial community composition and abundance with oxygen dynamics. The overarching question addressed by our work is: how is total oxygen consumption partitioned across different microbial groups with unique oxidative metabolisms? We will quantify rates of metabolic activity from the most abundant dead zone microorganisms using a combination of in situ measurements, shipboard incubations and collections that lead to single cell-sorting, advanced multi-omics, culturing, and metabolic modeling. This research will quantify the energy sources and oxygen consumption rates of the most important coastal microbes responsible for oxygen drawdown and model the microbial guilds responsible for the most critical metabolisms associated with the seasonal cycle of coastal hypoxia.

The south Texas continental shelf recently revealed an unusual high-alkalinity "plume" near barrier island passes following a winter cold front. This project investigates whether this anomaly reflects event-driven export of alkaline water from low-inflow estuaries (bays where evaporation and tidal exchange dominate over freshwater discharge), superimposed on background seasonal and interannual variability, and how this affects shelf carbon chemistry and air-sea CO2 exchange. This cruise will survey total alkalinity, dissolved inorganic carbon, pH, dissolved oxygen or DO, pCO2, nutrients, and water stable isotopes across shelf stations spanning from the Colorado River mouth to Padre Island, with station spacing increasing offshore. Sampling combines CTD-rosette casts, an underway pCO2/DO/fluorescence system, and discrete water collection, spanning seasons and conditions before and after cold-front passages. Results will help identify the mechanisms controlling estuarine alkalinity export, quantify its contribution to shelf carbon cycling and CO2 flux, and constrain a coupled hydrologic-ocean-biogeochemical model. Because these naturally elevated-alkalinity waters resemble outcomes sought by ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE) approaches for carbon dioxide removal, this work may also serve as a natural analog for studying alkalinity dispersion in coastal systems.