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plymbiomarsci.bsky.social
School of Biological & Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth
@plymbiomarsci.bsky.social
1.6K followers 150 following 140 posts
Official page for the School of Biological & Marine Sciences at the University of Plymouth, UK.
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plymbiomarsci.bsky.social
🦀🌱 BioBlitz Day: 10 Dec 2025!
Join researchers from the @plymuni.bsky.social and the Ocean Conservation Trust at the University of Plymouth Marine Station to explore the incredible invertebrates living in Plymouth Sound’s seagrass restoration sites. FREE event. Registration essential.
November 21, 2025 at 2:00 PM
plymbiomarsci.bsky.social
Two fascinating talks from the @bas.ac.uk this Friday at @plymuni.bsky.social. Open to all staff & students! Discover how baleen whales are recovering in South Georgia and how blue carbon ecosystems are helping the Southern Ocean fight climate change🌊31 Oct🕐1-2 pm📍Devonport LT
October 28, 2025 at 5:02 PM
plymbiomarsci.bsky.social
🚤 Big news! Our #USV Cetus at @plymuni.bsky.social has just been granted a General Exemption under MCA MGN705 - it is now free to operate within wider UK waters.

This unlocks exciting new opportunities for teaching, research, and collaboration in #MarineAutonomy here in #Plymouth 🌊
October 13, 2025 at 4:16 PM
plymbiomarsci.bsky.social
Our Marine Science degrees kicked off their induction with a trip to Newquay, where they could choose between a coastal walk, coasteering, or surfing! ✨
The trip included students from:
🌊 Ocean Science
🗺️ Ocean Exploration & Surveying
🐬 Ocean Science & Marine Conservation
Group photo of Marine Science students before coasteering Coasteering student walking over the rocks before they jump into the ocean! Students enjoying the coastal view on their walk Students at Firstral Beach after a fun day Surfing
September 23, 2025 at 10:35 AM
plymbiomarsci.bsky.social
🌎🧬 Last week, two of our postgraduate researchers from @plymuni.bsky.social attended @nerc-eof.bsky.social Metabarcoding & eDNA wetlab and bioinformatics workshop at @sheffielduni.bsky.social!

#eDNA #TrainingCourse #NEOF #NERCFunded #PhDLife #Metabarcoding #Bioinformatics @victoriamann.bsky.social
Group photo of attendees of the workshop at NEOF facility Image of PhD candidates Victoria Mann & Jake Hebb
September 15, 2025 at 2:29 PM
plymbiomarsci.bsky.social
🌿 Join us in celebrating Plymouth’s fantastic achievement in the Botanical University Challenge, taking 2nd place in a very close national final yesterday! 🥈

You can watch the intense finals here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=bX_s...

@bucbotany.bsky.social #BUC2025 #BotanicalUniversityChallenge #Botany
Group photo of the student who represented Plymouth University in the Botanical University Challenge, coming in second place.
August 21, 2025 at 2:55 PM
plymbiomarsci.bsky.social
🐙Have you spotted a Common Octopus in South West England?
We’d love to hear from you - share your sightings by completing our short survey: survey.alchemer.eu/s3/90886025/...
#CitizenScience #Octopus #OctopusBoom #SouthWest #Diver #Snorkeling #MarineLife #AnimalBehaviour 🧪🌍
Image of Common Octopus (Octopus vulgaris) taken by Keith Hiscock
August 21, 2025 at 2:34 PM
plymbiomarsci.bsky.social
Our team attended the BIAZA Research Conference at Chester Zoo! Joanna Newbolt celebrated 20 years of our MSc Zoo & Aquarium Conservation Biology, and PhD student Aimee Holland presented research on big cat vocalisations. A great week of conservation & collaboration! #BIAZA2024
July 16, 2025 at 12:39 PM
plymbiomarsci.bsky.social
Thrilled that, along with our partners at Offshore Shellfish Ltd, we have won the Collaboration category at the #UKAquacultureAwards 2025.
For over a decade, our team has been carrying out long-term ecological monitoring into the ecosystem benefits of the UK’s first large-scale mussel farm.
Group photo at the Aquaculture Awards 2025.
June 23, 2025 at 1:31 PM
plymbiomarsci.bsky.social
Prof Michael Cunliffe, Prof Marine Microbiology discusses the fascinating world of marine fungi on BBC’s Secrets of the Sea
Listen now👉https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0lc61pm

@thembauk.bsky.social @plymuni.bsky.social @erc.europa.eu
#MarineFungi #SecretsOfTheSea #Fungi 🌊🦑🍄
June 23, 2025 at 1:19 PM
plymbiomarsci.bsky.social
We have been ranked among the world’s top 100 universities and 14th in the UK in the 2025 @timeshighered.bsky.social
Impact Rankings! These rankings measure how more than 2,500 universities are contributing to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals #SDGs #THEGlobalImpact #THEUniRankings
University of Plymouth Ranked = 84th Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2025
June 23, 2025 at 1:07 PM
plymbiomarsci.bsky.social
Our academics along with colleagues from #MarineResearchPlymouth participated in #OneOceanScienceCongress
🌊 Prof Deborah Greaves chaired two sessions on ocean-based renewable energy & decarbonization of shipping
🌊 Dr Matthew Holland discussed harnessing plankton dynamics to drive management efforts
One Ocean Science Congress
June 17, 2025 at 4:30 PM
plymbiomarsci.bsky.social
🚨 We’re hiring! Join a cutting-edge marine conservation project using #ComputerVision + #AI to monitor marine mammals. Work with @plymuni.bsky.social + MSeis, funded by @ukri.org
🗓️ Apply by 29 June 2025
🔗 lnkd.in/eHBNYEH7
#MarineMonitoring #Jobs
June 17, 2025 at 4:23 PM
plymbiomarsci.bsky.social
Ahead of the final round of negotiations, we partnered with the Scientists' Coalition for an Effective Plastics Treaty at the UNOC! Prof Richard Thompson joined other scientists to answer questions about the science & solutions to this global challenge! Our contribution to UNOC: lnkd.in/exyf-aE6
We partnered with the Scientists' Coalition for an Effective Plastics Treaty at the UN Ocean Conference for an event held in ‘The Whale’. Professor RICHARD THOMPSON OBE FRS joined other independent scientists to answer questions from policymakers, negotiators and observers about the science and the solutions to this global environmental challenge.
June 17, 2025 at 4:16 PM
plymbiomarsci.bsky.social
Prof Keiron Fraser is now back from his #NationalGeographic #PristineSeas expedition in Tuvalu!
"It’s been an amazing experience. A great privilege to be helping collect data to help the Tuvaluan government develop their National Ocean Policy and protect their oceans."
🌊Press: lnkd.in/eWRNqUAQ
Image of research vessel used for Pristine Seas National Geographic Expedition Image of Prof Keiron Fraser with flower crown.
June 12, 2025 at 5:39 PM
plymbiomarsci.bsky.social
The 2023-24 marine heat wave in Little Cayman saw over 17 DHW, far beyond past extremes.
The recent paper by PhD researcher Matt Doherty @plymuni.bsky.social documents severe (~ 80%) coral bleaching & mortality - shared by leading coral reef scientist @profterryhughes.bsky.social 🦑🌎🧪🪸 #CoralReef
Fig 1. (B) shows Little Caymans thermal history from 1999–2023 based on degree heating weeks (DHW) for every year during the same survey as 2023. DHW values were obtained from the NOAA Coral Reef Watch 5km product suite [33], using Jigsaw as the reference site. Dashed vertical lines represent 4 and 8 DHW, typical predictors of widespread bleaching, and bleaching induced mortality. Fig 2. (A) coral health conditions throughout the survey period. Points represent the overall percentage of corals in each condition category for each site. Lines depict the non-linear trend based on a Generalized Additive Model. (B) The percent of corals bleached at each site in response to Degree Heating Weeks (DHW). Linear trend fitted with a beta regression, with ribbons showing the standard error (SE). (C) Coral abundance at each site throughout the survey period. Linear trend from a Generalized Linear Model parameter with a Poisson family distribution. Ribbons show 95% confidence intervals. (D) Percent of healthy corals in relation to DHW throughout the survey period, with linear trend from a beta regression, and ribbons showing SE.
May 28, 2025 at 3:04 PM
plymbiomarsci.bsky.social
Last week we hosted the @naturalengland.bsky.social Marine Conference 2025, Chair Tony Juniper CBE & Professor Melanie Austen share their insights from the conference and the work being done to support nature recovery in the marine environment.
#NatureRecovery #Marine #NaturalEngland #NEMC 🌊🧪🦑🐟🌍
May 27, 2025 at 2:39 PM
plymbiomarsci.bsky.social
Our hydrographic specialist, Adam Bolton led a revamp of the ‘Yellow Pig’ #UncrewedSurfaceVessel #USV- now reborn as ‘Red Pig’: MGN702 compliant, robust, multibeam-ready & Starlink-capable. Huge thanks to Russ Kateley for the masterful metalwork. A game-changer for teaching & research! #Autonomy 🌊 🧪
May 27, 2025 at 10:41 AM
plymbiomarsci.bsky.social
A brilliant morning at #NEMarine25 with thought-provoking talks from @naturalengland.bsky.social on ecosystem-based management, fisheries, marine net gain & species interconnectivity.

How many times do you think #DavidAttenborough #OceanFilm was mentioned?
Join the convo: Slido #NEMarine25 🌊🧪🦑🌍
Image from Natural England Marine Conference Image from Natural England Marine Conference
May 20, 2025 at 11:51 AM
plymbiomarsci.bsky.social
🌊 We’re proud of Dr @jennygales.bsky.social, co-chief scientist on the recent #SouthSandwichIslands expedition, who spoke with BBC Devon about discovering never-before-seen hydrothermal vents, coral gardens, and potential new species! 🦑🌎🧪

#DeepSea @oceancensus.bsky.social @schmidtocean.bsky.social
Dr Jenny Gales outside BBC building Dr Jenny Gales on expedition to South Sandwich Islands Dr Jenny Gales helps to process push cores full of seafloor sediment in the hangar. These samples will lend insight into geological forces and historical changes at play in the area
May 19, 2025 at 11:58 AM
plymbiomarsci.bsky.social
🌊🔬 PhD candidate Matt Doherty from @plymuni.bsky.social joined Smithsonian Environmental Research Center for fieldwork exploring how reefs, seagrass, sand, and mangrove habitats connect, and how marine reserves shape these linkages. Research led by Leah Harper, with support from @fundemardr
May 12, 2025 at 4:44 PM
plymbiomarsci.bsky.social
Join us for the #PlyMSEF FREE Spring Lecture on the 14th May at the #NationalMarineAquarium
🌊 Hear from Dr Emma Sheehan @plymuni.bsky.social on Ocean recovery in #LymeBay!
🧪 Learn from Dr Bryce Stewart @bd-stew.bsky.social (@thembauk.bsky.social) about sustainable fishing & the “disco scallop”.
Plymouth Marine Science & Education Foundation Annual Spring Lecture Flyer Event Information: Date Wednesday 14th May 2025 Doors: 6pm Open for 6:30pm start Location: National Marine Aquarium
May 1, 2025 at 11:01 AM
plymbiomarsci.bsky.social
Richard Thompson OBE FRS will present at the ‘Marine Pollution Plenary Session’ at the #OurOceanConference on 30 April in Busan, Korea.
He’ll share insights on #microplastics, their effects on ecosystems and human health, and what needs to be addressed in the #GlobalPlasticsTreaty 🌊🧪 #OOC10
Professor Richard Thompson is a world-leading marine scientist at the forefront of pioneering research into the causes and effects of marine litter, as well as he development and testing solutions. Discover more: www.plymouth.ac.uk/marine-litter Image of Prof Richard Thompson with blue background and Plymouth University logo. Marine Pollution. Action to tackle marine plastic pollution #OOCT10
April 28, 2025 at 2:42 PM
plymbiomarsci.bsky.social
Assoc Prof Keiron Fraser is leading a 6-week #NationalGeographic #PristineSeas #expedition in Fiji!
They will be collecting biological data to support the Fijian government in protecting their seas, making a film & working with educators to inspire the next generation to care for our oceans! 🧪🌎🦑
Associate Professor Keiron Fraser on board the Argo Pristine Seas Argo Vessel in Fiji
April 25, 2025 at 3:52 PM
plymbiomarsci.bsky.social
CRISPS currently has FIVE #FundedPhD studentships! 🧪🌎🦑

Contribute to pioneering research in #SustainableFood systems, environmental resilience, and #agri-tech innovation.

Apply now: www.plymouth.ac.uk/study/resear...

#Agriculture #Marine #PhDSky #AnimalWelfare #EnvironmentalResearch #PhD
The Centre of Research Excellence in Intelligent and Sustainable Productive Systems (CRISPS). University of Plymouth & UKRI logo
April 25, 2025 at 2:48 PM