This is a project that supports doctoral dissertation research with Russian scientists from the Southern Branch of the P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanography. The U.S. principal investigator and advisor is James Murray from the University of Washington. His student is John Kirkpatrick. The lead Russian collaborator is Evgeniy Yakushev.
The main goal of this scientific research project is to understand the large variability in the chemical and microbial distributions related to nitrogen cycling in the suboxic zone of the Black Sea. The application of this goal will be to obtain quantitative information about the processes responsible for the formation, structure, and position of the Black Sea's oxic/anoxic interface. In order to achieve this goal John Kirkpatrick, along with her Russian colleagues, will conduct a time-series of observations that will consist of short expeditions on Russian research vessels to stations near the northeastern coast of the Black Sea near Gelendzhik, Russia. The results of this research will help local policy makers in their economic and social decisions related to eutrophication of the Black Sea.
