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Heather

I am a PhD student studying isotope geochemistry, and also a SCUBA diver, aquarist, knitter, and baking enthusiast...

As we come to the end of the MOOC, perhaps you are wondering how you can help to protect our seas and get involved with ocean science. First and foremost, take a few simple steps to minimise the effect YOU have on the oceans – there’s a great list of simple things you can do (and avoid doing!) here: http://www.wildlifetrusts. Continue reading →

Until I moved to Southampton for my PhD, I had no idea how interesting estuaries are. Here, I want to give you a better idea of the chemistry going on in these fascinating gateways to the sea. Estuaries deliver sediments from rivers into the ocean, but they actually receive even more sediment back from the ocean. This means that all estuaries are slowly being filled in with sediment. Continue reading →

Hi everyone! My name is Heather and I’m studying chromium isotopes in seawater for my PhD. There is only a tiny amount of chromium in seawater, but its isotopes behave in an interesting way when exposed to different levels of oxygen. This behaviour might be useful as an indirect measure of oxygen levels in the oceans or atmosphere, so it is hoped that chromium stored in sediments can be used to find out more about past climates. You can find a more detailed introduction to my research here. Continue reading →

Image credits: Hammerhead shark: Galapagos Conservation Trust, http://galapagosconservation.org.uk/wildlife/scalloped_hammerhead_shark/ Copepod: Tracey Saxby, Integration and Application Network, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (ian.umces. Continue reading →

The levels of oxygen in seawater are just as important as on land. All aerobic aquatic organisms require oxygen to breathe and without sufficient oxygen, marine ecosystems collapse. As we’ll see in week 6, the detriment of ocean habitats can be just as dangerous for human beings as it is for marine communities. Continue reading →

Ocean acidification: An experiment to try at home You are probably already aware of the concerns surrounding global warming, caused by the release of carbon dioxide (CO2) from burning fossil fuels. Rising temperatures threaten to cause changes in sea level, ocean circulation and even dissolved oxygen levels. But how do CO2 emissions affect the chemistry of our oceans? It is thought that the oceans have absorbed up to half of the CO2 emitted by burning fossil fuels. Continue reading →

You might have wondered why the sea is blue. Or if you spend a lot of time at British coastlines, you might have wondered (longingly) why it isn’t! Both questions are interesting because the answers draw from our knowledge of physics, chemistry and biology. On the most basic level, water is blue because of the way it interacts with light. When light hits the surface of the ocean, three things can happen to it: 1. Absorption. Continue reading →