The Cordell Currents

Photo: NOAA/GFNMS/CBNMS What is Hypoxia? Hypoxia is a term used to describe conditions when the dissolved oxygen concentration in a body of water becomes low and starts to affect aquatic organisms that require oxygen to survive.  In scientific literature, hypoxia usually refers to dissolved oxygen levels below a certain threshold, most commonly 5mg/L or 2mg/L.  … Continue reading "What is hypoxia and why it is important to study hypoxic events at Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary"

The centerpiece of Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary (CBNMS) is an expansive underwater granite bank located on a peninsula of the continental shelf, which geologically originated from the southern Sierra Nevada mountain range. Its hard surface is ideal for invertebrate larvae looking for a place to settle. Snails, seapstars, and crabs live among the  dense … Continue reading "Overview of oceanographic and ecological factors that contribute to Cordell Bank’s high productivity"

Wind is the primary driving force of water movement in the open ocean. In the northern Pacific ocean, wind pushes water clockwise creating a gyre (or rotation of ocean currents) due to global wind patterns, the Earth’s rotation, and continent landmasses acting as physical boundaries. The continuous clockwise movement of water within the ocean basin … Continue reading "Overview of eastern boundary currents, California Current, and upwelling"

Photo: Robert Lee Oxygen levels are a critical component of ocean health, influencing where marine species can live, feed, and migrate. While low-oxygen water naturally occurs in the deep ocean, recent observations along the U.S. West Coast have documented episodes of hypoxic — or low-oxygen — water moving into shallower habitats. In 2013, researchers from … Continue reading "Why we need to study the effects of low-oxygen events at Cordell Bank"

Photo: NOAA/GFNMS/CBNMS The exceptional productivity of Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary is driven by a rare combination of oceanographic and geological factors. The bank’s steep rocky topography rises from the continental shelf into nutrient-rich waters influenced by the California Current and seasonal upwelling, concentrating plankton and creating ideal feeding conditions for fishes, invertebrates, seabirds, and … Continue reading "Unique factors contributing to Cordell Bank’s incredible productivity"

The foundation awarded the CMSF Research Scholarship to Mr. de la Maza in 2024.  Analysis and study of hypoxic events and their consequences will be a component of Mr. de la Maza’s doctoral research work under the aegis of UC Davis’ research facility in Bodega Bay, CA – the Bodega Marine Laboratory.  Phase 1 involved … Continue reading "Cordell Marine Sanctuary Foundation Scholar, Lucas de la Maza, has completed Phase 1 of his analysis of a long-term data set documenting hypoxic events within Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary."