Moss Landing Marine Laboratories

Moss Landing Marine Laboratories
Type	Public
Location	Moss Landing, California, USA
Campus	Rural
Affiliations	California State University system; Sea grant colleges
Website	mlml.calstate.edu

The Moss Landing Marine Laboratories (MLML) is a multi-campus marine research consortium headquartered at Moss Landing, California.

Organization

Moss Landing Marine Laboratories is part of the California State University, administered by San Jose State University (SJSU), and located in Moss Landing, California. The main building is located at 8272 Moss Landing Road, 36°47′40″N 121°47′15″W / 36.79441°N 121.78762°W / 36.79441; -121.78762Coordinates: 36°47′40″N 121°47′15″W / 36.79441°N 121.78762°W / 36.79441; -121.78762. It was established in 1966.^[1] At the midpoint of the coast of Monterey Bay, it is only a few hundred meters from Monterey Canyon, the largest undersea canyon on the west coast of the Americas. As a result, researchers are able to reach areas with depths greater than 1000 meters in less than an hour by boat from the facility.

The facility is a sea grant college, which offers a Master's of Science degree in marine sciences through the seven universities that make up the consortium, as well as offering graduate and undergraduate marine science courses to the students of the campuses.

The seven members of the Moss Landing Marine Laboratories consortium are:

• California State University, East Bay
• California State University, Fresno
• California State University, Monterey Bay
• California State University, Sacramento
• San Francisco State University
• San Jose State University
• California State University, Stanislaus

Researchers at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories also collaborate with scientists at other institutions in analysis of marine chemistry and marine species. One frequent partner for such collaboration is the Marine Mammal Center.

Research vessels

MLML operates a fleet of three research vessels, the 135-foot (41 m) R/V Point Sur, the 56-foot (17 m) R/V John H. Martin, and the 30-foot (9.1 m) R/V Sheila B.

Sea Grant

Moss Landing Marine Laboratories participates in the Sea Grant Colleges program by hosting an office of the UC Sea Grant Extension Program, affiliated with University of California, San Diego.^[2]

Projects

The Submersible Capable of Under Ice Navigation and Imaging was a National Science Foundation funded research project for robotic under the sea ice for surveying and exploration in Antarctica from 2007 through 2009.^[3]

The Vertical Transport and Exchange of Ocean Particulate program (VERTEX) was initiated by Moss Landing Marine Labs in 1981 by Dr. John Martin ^[4]. This project resulted in the development of the "Iron Hypothesis" which stated iron was a limiting factor in ocean water phytoplankton production and its influence for climate change ^[5]. Dr.Martin was dubbed the nickname "Iron Man" for his role in this discovery ^[6].

See also

• Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
• Southern California Marine Institute
• Marine Mammal Center
• Alliance for Coastal Technologies

References

1. ^ "About Us". Moss Landing Marine Laboratories official web site. http://www.mlml.calstate.edu/about-us. Retrieved December 4, 2010. 
2. ^ "A Sea Grant Story". Agriculture and Natural Resources - University of California - official web site. http://groups.ucanr.org/UCSGEP/. Retrieved December 4, 2010. 
3. ^ "Submersible Capable of Under Ice Navigation and Imaging". Moss Landing Marine Laboratories official web site. http://scini.mlml.calstate.edu/. Retrieved December 4, 2010. 
4. ^ [1]
5. ^ Nature, 1989
6. ^ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/Martin/martin.php

External links

• Moss Landing Marine Laboratories website
• Moss Landing Marine Laboratories blog