Damian Grundle

Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS)

Projects

Nitrous oxide production in marine sub-oxic zones
My current research focuses on nitrous oxide (N₂O) distributions and production in the ocean. Evidence suggests that low O₂ concentrations may induce substantial increases in biological N₂O production, and my research aims to better quantify the degree to which decreasing O₂ concentrations will impact N₂O production under natural, mixed assemblage conditions, and determine the O₂ threshold required to turn on/off the different N₂O production and consumption pathways. To achieve these goals I am employing a suite of measurements across well defined oxygen gradients in coastal and open ocean oxygen minimum zones. This includes measurements of nitrous oxide distributions, N₂O isotopic and isotopomeric (i.e. ¹⁵N site preference) signatures, and ¹⁵N tracer incubations.