Ecosystems are highly complex webs of species that mix in space and time, creating intricate relationships that can be difficult or complex to study.

Zooplankton are tiny drifting animals that play a critical role in aquatic food webs, linking phytoplankton to larger marine species.

Deep-sea corals are cold-water ecosystems that thrive without sunlight, providing vital habitats for diverse marine species.

Mollusks are a varied group of soft-bodied animals, many of which have hard shells. They are essential to both marine ecosystems and human economies.

Our crustacean species are ecologically important, and critical to the economy of the Mid-Atlantic.

Marine phytoplankton are microscopic, photosynthetic organisms that form the foundation of the ocean’s food web and produce over half of Earth’s oxygen.