Marine water quality refers to the physicochemical, biological, and microbiological status of seawater as characterized by quantitative indicators relevant to ecosystem function, contaminant exposure, and regulatory standards. It encompasses parameters such as nutrient concentrations (e.g., nitrogen, phosphorus), dissolved oxygen, salinity, temperature, pH, turbidity, organic matter, trace metals, hydrocarbons, persistent organic pollutants, and microbial/pathogen loads. Assessment of marine water quality underpins evaluations of eutrophication, hypoxia, harmful algal blooms, contaminant bioavailability, and ecological risk. It is central to monitoring programs, environmental impact assessments, and management frameworks such as marine protected areas and coastal zone management, often integrating in situ measurements, remote sensing, and modeling.
Understanding the dynamics of how water moves is deceptively simple in concept and endlessly complex in practice. Real-world marine environments are anything but controlled: weather, seasons, and geography change constantly. ...
Earth Sciences
May 29, 2026
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14
The presence of the marine bacterium Vibrio vulnificus, which is potentially dangerous to humans, can now be predicted up to five weeks in advance in the Baltic Sea using artificial intelligence (AI). A research team led ...
Cell & Microbiology
May 28, 2026
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17
For years, scientists studying bowhead whales have relied on a simple idea: if a whale makes a long, square or U-shaped dive, it's feeding time. A new study demonstrates that assumption may not hold water.
Plants & Animals
May 28, 2026
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16
Wild dolphins are known for their complex social lives, but new research shows those social networks can be influenced by human activity.
Plants & Animals
May 28, 2026
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21
Scientists at William & Mary's Batten School & VIMS, FlowWest and the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science recently announced that the Chesapeake Bay's annual "dead zone" is expected to be relatively mild ...
Environment
May 27, 2026
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14
NASA scientists have developed an artificial intelligence tool to take on a longstanding challenge in ocean waters. In a study recently published in the Earth and Space Science journal, researchers reported the tool was able ...
Earth Sciences
May 20, 2026
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27
As primary producers at the base of marine food webs, diatoms are key indicators of environmental change, providing critical insight into the health and resilience of the Salish Sea bioregion. A team of Canadian scientists ...
Ecology
May 19, 2026
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10
Per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), often called "forever chemicals," are now found almost everywhere scientists look. They have been detected in rivers, oceans, wildlife, food and even human blood.
Ecology
May 19, 2026
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9
A research team led by Hainan University, together with, among others, the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT), investigated a total of 102 reef sites in the waters ...
Environment
May 12, 2026
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16
A new study of the British Isles' coastal ecosystems has revealed that nitrogen enrichment is significantly reducing the abundance and variety of marine life. The research, published by scientists at Swansea University and ...
Ecology
May 6, 2026
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8
