This National Science Foundation (NSF) award under the Biological Sciences program (CFDA 47.074) provides $352,969 to Hofstra University to investigate the relationships between microbial plankton communities and coastal hypoxia (low dissolved oxygen) in an estuarine embayment in Long Island Sound, New York. The project aims to quantify changes in microbial community structure and functioning across normoxic and hypoxic conditions, using a combination of field sampling, microscopy, DNA sequencing, and experimental studies. The research will examine bacteria, archaea, protists, and microscopic animals to better understand the feedbacks between microbial processes and the development of coastal hypoxia. This 3-year project has a strong educational component, providing research experiences for high school and undergraduate students in areas such as microscopy, sequencing, and bioinformatics. The results are expected to improve the understanding of microbial influences on coastal deoxygenation and help predict future trophic and biogeochemical shifts in these ecosystems.