The National Science Foundation Division of Ocean Sciences awarded University of Massachusetts Boston $370,000 on December 1, 2026, under the Geosciences program (CFDA 47.050) to investigate nutrient cycling in the Benguela upwelling system during the Pliocene epoch.
The research measures nitrogen isotopic composition of foraminifera-bound organic matter in ancient ocean sediments from three legacy scientific ocean drilling sites in the Benguela region off southern Africa to reconstruct nitrate sources and upwelling intensity. The study encompasses two time-slices—the late Pleistocene glacial cycles and the mid-Pliocene warm period—to understand how nutrient upwelling responded to past ocean temperature and circulation changes. These reconstructions will be integrated with existing data on ocean temperature and productivity to clarify how ongoing climate-driven changes could affect the Benguela upwelling system and the fisheries it sustains. The work will train one graduate student and six undergraduate students and includes a public engagement partnership with the Museum of Science, Boston.
Performance occurs in Dorchester, Massachusetts with a period of performance through November 30, 2029.