People | Matthew J. Oliver

• Ph.D., Oceanography, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 2006.
• M.S., Biology, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obsipo, CA, 2001.
• B.S., Ecology and Systematic Biology, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obsipo, CA, 1999.
• A.S., Natural Sciences, Cerritos College, Norwalk, CA, 1996.

• Phytoplankton Oceanography
• Biogeography
• Remote Sensing
• Ocean Observing
• Phytoplankton Physiology
• Phytoplankton Evolution
• Genome Evolution

Mid-Atlantic Regional Coastal Ocean Observing System (MARCOOS)

MARCOOS is a NOAA funded effort with 30 Principal Investigators from 20 academic, governmental and private institutions across the region. MARCOOS is deploying and operating the Regional Coastal Ocean Observing System designed to fulfill user needs defined within the Mid-Atlantic Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association (MACOORA). MACOORA is one of 11 Regional Associations in the US Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS). My role in MARCOOS is to develop and provide satellite based ecological decision tools for end-users of the observatory. I am chiefly working with Oscar Schofield and Lisa Oganen at the Rutgers University Coastal Ocean Observatory (RUCOOL) in this effort. The real-time satellite platforms we primarily work with are AVHRR-Pathfinder, MODIS-Aqua, and SeaWiFS. We are providing cloud filtered Sea Surface Temperatures for the Mid-Atlantic Bight and are to develoing regionalized water mass indicators for the Mid-Atlantic Bight.

Bioinformatic Classification of Global Ocean Biomes

I am collaborating with Andrew Irwin, Paul Falkowski and Oscar Schofield in a three-year NASA funded effort to objectively map and detect changes in large ocean ecosystems. We are using algorithms developed in the field of bioinformatics. These large ocean ecosystems are called biogeographic provinces. Biogeographic provinces provide useful categories for comparing and contrasting important ocean processes such as primary production, carbon flux, and species distribution and diversity. Climatological provinces have been identified using a priori expert knowledge. Discerning temporal trends and fine scale structures require objective automatic methods. We use objective classification on global remote sensing data to automatically produce time and space resolved province distributions. Our DATA results are availible on the web. These province locations are verified by independent in-situ data from Canada’s Federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans, the Coriolis project for operational oceanography and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Atlantic Oceanographic and Meterological Laboratory.

3-D Mapping of Ocean Water Masses and Biomes

Satellite oceanographic products provide an unequaled view of the global ocean surface allowing us the opportunity to map important biogeochemical processes in the ocean such as primary production and carbon export to the deep ocean. However, despite the wealth of data satellites provide, their continuing criticism is that they “see” only a fraction of the water column in most ocean conditions. The main scientific objective of this three-year NASA New Investegator Award is to integrate an advanced satellite-based bioinformatic water mass and biome classification algorithm with high resolution subsurface glider AUV and ARGO data to produce 3-D visualizations of water masses and biomes for global biome characterization and regional water mass characterization. This project also is working to build on the GLOBE program by creating an ocean biogeography module for 12th grade through partnerships with the Delaware Department of Education and the Centers for Ocean Science Education Excellence that emphasizes the distribution and seasonal fluctuations in ocean biomes and water masses.

Erick Geiger

Erick came to the lab in June 2008 from Rutgers University after earning a B.S. in Geology. Erick is interested in remote sensing of the marine environment.

Matt Grossi

Matt Grossi came to the lab in July 2008 after earning his B.S. in Oceanography from Florida Institute of Technology. Matt is interested in Climate Change and Ocean-Atmosphere Interactions.

MAST 427/627 Marine Biology/Biological Oceanography Fall, 2008

FULL CV HERE

None Yet, but you can laugh at these until you are a former student.

Future students must have musical skills at least this good.

Satellite Derived Salinity Maps of Delaware Bay

Salinity is a key tracer of coastal ocean mixing and therefore is critical to understanding the biogeochemical exchange between terrestrial and marine systems. In Delaware Bay, knowing and controlling the position of the salt wedge is critical for protecting water supplies. This is a major concern of the Delaware River Basin Commision (DRBC). Salinity in Delaware Bay is also an important factor that influences the distribution of the flora and fauna in the estuary. We are using MODIS-Aqua to estimate the optically active constituents such as phytoplankton, colored dissolved organic matter, (CDOM) and detritus. Suspended detritus and CDOM strongly absorb blue visible light in coastal environments, resulting in a blue reflectance signal that is weaker compared to offshore marine environments. Because a large amount of CDOM and detritus washes off the land, blue reflectance should be a good indicator of salinity. This effort is funded by Delaware Space Grant.

Observatory Based Ecological Indicators for Fish Stock Assessment

This project is a collaboration with Josh Kohut and John Manderson. The objective of this project is to analyze North East Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) bottom trawl fisheries survey data with the Mid-Atlantic Regional Coastal Ocean Observing System (MARCOOS) to develop spatial habitat indicators useful for spatial fisheries management. Specifically, we will use community and single species statistical models to relate fisheries survey data with pelagic as well as benthic habitat variables measured between 2004-present. The habitat indicators derived from this analysis could become a standard statistical tool used by ocean observatories for the prediction of spatial changes in fish community structure and abundance in near real-time. This project is funded by NOAA.

Mapping Photosynthetic Physiology in the Coastal Ocean

We will be mapping the photosynthetic efficiency of phytoplankton in the coastal ocean using the Florescence Induction and Relaxation (FIRe) system. The FIRe can continually and directly probe the photosystem redox potential of natural phytoplankton populations to estimate the quantum yield of photosynthesis. We will be mounting the FIRe system on the R/V Sharp, and will be cruising with Geo-Marine on their monthly whale and bird surveys in the Delaware and New Jersey coastal ocean. I will have 3-4 bunks available for additional researchers. Contact me if you are interested in joining me on this cruise. This project is partially funded by the University of Delaware Resarch Foundation.

  Satellite Studies of Climate Mediated Changes in Antarctic Food-Webs

The main objective of this proposal is to develop and validate satellite-driven species distribution and abundance models for the West Antarctic Peninsula (WAP). This objective will be achieved by integrating the results of two component efforts. The first encompasses a “top-down” historical time series analysis of existing space-based and in-situ measurements of WAP phytoplankton, krill and penguin distribution and abundance data from the Palmer Long-Term Ecological Research Station (PAL LTER). The second is represented by a “bottom-up” field program focused on spatially predicting the foraging locations of the Adélie penguin. This field effort links space-based platforms, AUV’s and animal-borne sensors. The results of this work will, 1) quantify the ability of satellite data streams to capture and describe the climate driven ecological changes in the WAP and, 2) predict how Adélie penguin foraging locations and their associated biodiversity will change if warming trends continue.

Dynamic Modeling of Marine Bioluminescence and Night Time Leaving Radiance

Our objectives are to develop the methodology for bioluminescence potential and bioluminescence leaving radiance predictions on scales to 1-5 days, and to understand the coupled bio-optical and physical processes in the coastal zone that governs the variability and predictability of bioluminescence. This research will be conducted in Monterey, CA