Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Science Foundation's Office of Integrative Activities awarded $102,137 to the University of California, Santa Cruz on July 1, 2026, through the Geosciences program (CFDA 47.050) to conduct collaborative research characterizing Crocosphaera waterburyi, a novel nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterial species from oligotrophic ocean environments. The three-year project, concluding June 30, 2029, delivers quantitative research products including a developed assay for measuring C. waterburyi abundance, genetic characterization of the organism's biological potential, single-cell activity measurements, and gene expression tracking across varying environmental conditions. This research addresses fundamental gaps in understanding how nitrogen fixation—a critical process affecting ocean primary production and marine food web dynamics—responds to temperature stress, particularly in warm oceanic waters where C. waterburyi demonstrates unusual thermal tolerance compared to related cyanobacterial species.

The project generates scientific knowledge and contributes to national interest by advancing understanding of biogeochemical processes in marine ecosystems and supporting educational outcomes through graduate and undergraduate student training and ocean-related public outreach. The research directly tests three hypotheses regarding C. waterburyi's ecological distribution, its abundance in sinking particles and export flux potential, and its competitive advantage over related species under conditions of phosphorus depletion combined with elevated temperatures. Findings are expected to transform current understanding of global nitrogen fixation patterns in warm ocean waters and inform ecosystem management to maximize marine system services.