Scientists from The University of Texas Marine Science Institute regularly venture beyond the shoreline on research expeditions to study the Gulf and beyond. Each voyage is unique—whether sampling plankton in nearshore waters, collecting sediment cores from the seafloor, or deploying instruments to track ocean currents. These expeditions are the foundation of discovery at the institute, advancing our understanding of marine ecosystems and the health of our coastal environments.
Expedition: Gulf and Ocean Monitoring Ecosystems Coastal Cruises (GOMECC – 5) Cruise
Dates: October 19th – November 23th 2025
UTMSI Scientists:
- Sharon Herzka
- Lauren Bomer
- Alfonsina (Kena) Romo Curiel
- Sofia Armada Tapia
Zooplankton and ichthyoplankton community structure and organic matter flow during GOMECC-5: Partitioning the variability due to OA and other environmental drivers
Researchers will survey microscopic ocean animals to understand the impact of ocean acidification on their populations in the Gulf of America during the 2025 GOMECC. Using fine-mesh nets, the team will capture a range of zooplankton on each transect carried out on GOMECC. They will investigate biomass, zooplankton abundance, and community structure, with special emphasis on counting the abundance of small marine snails called pteropods that are important species in the food web. Additionally, they will run analyses on the carbon and nitrogen content of the zooplankton to determine their nutritional quality. These tests will help determine if pteropods or other zooplankton can be used as biological indicators of ocean acidification in the Gulf of America.
Expedition: Deep Ocean Seabed Experiment
Dates:
UTMSI Scientists:
- Kelly Dorgan
Towards an integrative understanding of near-surface seabed structure and stability in the deep sea
Researchers will join a multi-institutional project funded by the Office of Naval Research to study how biological activity influences the physical and chemical properties of deep-sea sediments off the coast of central California. Led by Dr. Kelly Dorgan, the team will investigate how organic matter input drives processes such as bioturbation—organisms mixing and reworking seafloor sediments—and how these processes, in turn, affect geotechnical, geoacoustic, and biogeochemical characteristics of the seafloor.
During the Fall 2025 research cruise, scientists will conduct geoacoustic mapping, collect sediment cores for geotechnical and biogeochemical analyses, and study infaunal communities that act as ecosystem engineers. These efforts aim to improve understanding of the complex interactions at the benthic boundary layer—the dynamic zone where the ocean floor meets the overlying water—and to inform future uses of the deep-sea environment.
Expedition: Flower Garden Banks National Marine Santuary Reef Conservation
Dates: 2025 – 2030
UTMSI Scientists:
- Xinping Hu
Long-Term Coral Reef Trends and Climate Resilience Strategies in Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary
Researchers are studying how ocean acidification is impacting coral reef ecosystems at the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, located about 115 miles off the Texas coast. The team, led by Dr. Xinping Hu, investigates changes in carbon chemistry and oxygen levels in the water to understand how these shifts affect marine life. Their findings reveal increasing carbon dioxide and decreasing oxygen concentrations—conditions that could threaten corals, shellfish, and reef fish by weakening skeletal structures and reducing available habitat.
By comparing current data with samples collected a decade ago, the researchers are documenting long-term environmental changes that may alter the sanctuary’s delicate balance. Hu’s ongoing work provides critical insights for the National Marine Sanctuary’s annual reports and supports future management efforts, including proposals to expand the protected area around the Flower Garden Banks.