Climate change and copepods

Second Place

Under the deck lights of a research vessel, this image depicts night time oceanographic fieldwork in the Bay of Fundy. For my MSc research, I am investigating the impacts of climate change on copepods, a group of zooplankton that are important prey for many marine species, including the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale. Using large plankton nets like those shown in my image, our research group collects zooplankton samples that allow us to determine which species are present, how abundant they are, and how much energy they provide to feeding right whales. As climate change alters ocean conditions, the distribution and quantity of this prey is also changing. By tracking right whale food across space and time, our work helps identify where and when conservation efforts are most likely to be effective.