Investigating the submerged associations between ocean's microscopic lifeforms and climate change impacts.
Packing for work trips, oceanographer and marine biogeochemist Andrew Babbin doesn't skimp on the essentials. Alongside travel basics, he includes a assortment of tapes, cable ties, and bungee cords - his MacGyver kit, ready for spontaneous repairs or rigging when things go awry in remote locations.
From month-long Pacific cruises, to chilly Antarctic lakes, Babbin's kit has come in handy. Like the time he had to jerry-rig a wrench to a sampling device, ensuring it could sink through the icy lake.
Babbin's work revolves around marine microbes and the ways they manage nitrogen - an element essential for life on Earth - in the ocean. In turn, this nitrogen management helps maintain ocean health and its capacity to store carbon. By combining field measurements with MIT lab experiments, Babbin aims to unravel the connection between microbes and nitrogen, which may lead to ways to safeguard the ocean's health and productivity.
From coastal to open-ocean regions across the globe, Babbin has traveled extensively. "You become an oceanographer and an Earth scientist to see the world," Babbin says, with a sense of awe.
The ocean has captivated Babbin since childhood. Growing up in New Jersey with frequent trips to the Jersey shore, family vacations on cruises, and a love for days at sea on the water. Focusing on the sciences in school, Babbin ventured into Earth and environmental engineering at Columbia University, combining his fascination with water and chemistry.
Together with oceanographer Bess Ward, Babbin embarked on month-long cruises to the eastern tropical Pacific. In the lab and at sea, he found himself enthralled with the nitrogen cycle and the crucial role it plays in the ocean's ecosystems and the planet's climate.
Since earning tenure in MIT's Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Babbin has been mapping new research directions. Engineered denitrifying capsules are becoming a reality, aiming to scrub excessive nitrogen from waterways. A new sensor, designed for deployment on sharks, could revolutionize the measurement of low-oxygen concentrations in the ocean, helping to create more accurate maps of dead zones.
When it comes to inspiring new ideas and avenues of research, collaborative work has been key for Babbin. Embracing the diversity of perspectives and knowledge, Babbin approaches his work with a spirit of collective action. Now, as a mission director for MIT's Climate Project, he's leading workshops and fostering connections across the campus, encouraging collaboration in managing climate change. "Climate science and climate interventions are two sides of the same coin," Babbin says, "and time is of the essence."
Nitrogen Cycling and Climate Change:
Andrew Babbin's research, specifically focused on ENSO, El Niño-Southern Oscillation, uncovers how it affects marine nitrogen cycling and nitrous oxide emissions. This work is significant, providing insights into the global nitrogen cycle, particularly the role of oceanic processes in nitrous oxide production and transport[1]. Some key aspects of Babbin's research are:
- Nitrous Oxide Emissions: Examining the effects of ENSO on nitrous oxide (N(_2)O) production and emission sheds light on the part oceanic processes play in the global nitrogen cycle. N(_2)O is an important greenhouse gas and contributor to oceanic nitrogen fluxes.
- Nutrient Upwelling and Productivity: The study of nutrient upwelling and its impact on marine productivity offers insights into how ocean ecosystems respond to climatic variability, a crucial aspect for predicting changes in ocean health and marine life.
- Low-Oxygen Environments: Investigating the dynamics of low-oxygen environments enlightens the mechanisms regulating nitrogen transformations in these zones. This understanding is vital for maintaining the health and biodiversity of ocean ecosystems.
- Andrew Babbin's research on ENSO (El Niño-Southern Oscillation) delves into the influence of this phenomenon on marine nitrogen cycling and nitrous oxide emissions.
- This research is vital as it offers insights into the global nitrogen cycle, particularly the role of oceanic processes in nitrous oxide production and transport.
- One key aspect of Babbin's research is the examination of the effects of ENSO on nitrous oxide (N₂O) production and emission.
- N₂O is a significant greenhouse gas and a contributor to oceanic nitrogen fluxes, making its production and emission a critical focus.
- Another important area of Babbin's research is the study of nutrient upwelling and its impact on marine productivity.
- This study provides insights into how ocean ecosystems respond to climatic variability, which is crucial for predicting changes in ocean health and marine life.
- Investigating the dynamics of low-oxygen environments is another significant part of Babbin's research.
- Understanding the mechanisms regulating nitrogen transformations in these zones is vital for maintaining the health and biodiversity of ocean ecosystems.
- Babbin's work also considers the health-and-wellness implications of climate change, recognizing the interconnectedness of mental health and environmental science.
- Additionally, Babbin's research aims to contribute to solutions for climate change, with engineering denitrifying capsules being developed to scrub excessive nitrogen from waterways.
- A new sensor, designed for deployment on sharks, is being developed by Babbin's team to revolutionize the measurement of low-oxygen concentrations in the ocean, thereby creating more accurate maps of dead zones and helping mitigate the impacts of climate change on marine ecosystems.
