The National Science Foundation Division of Ocean Sciences awarded The Trustees of Princeton University $130,000 on December 1, 2026, under the Geosciences program (CFDA 47.050) to study 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 during the late Pleistocene glacial cycles and mid-Pliocene warm period. By examining how nutrient upwelling changed during past geologic intervals of ocean warming and cooling, the project addresses uncertainties about how ongoing ocean temperature and circulation changes could affect the Benguela upwelling system and the fisheries it sustains. The research will train one graduate student and six undergraduate students, and a partnership with the Museum of Science, Boston will provide public engagement opportunities in the scientific process.
Work is performed at Princeton, New Jersey, with a period of performance extending from December 1, 2026, through November 30, 2029.