DrEmma Cavan

Overview
My overarching research interest is in how marine plants and animals drive the global ocean carbon sink, and regulate the climate and their environment. This includes how climate change and fishing will disturb marine ecosystems and change the natural carbon sinks that already exist as 'Nature Based Solutions' to climate change. I have a particular interest and expertise in Antarctic krill and their role in the ocean carbon sink.

My background is in empirical marine biogeochemistry/ecology, mostly on the role of microbes and zooplankton in the open-ocean organic carbon sink and store (e.g. plankton poo!). I am also passionate about promoting the importance of organisms in global biogeochemical cycles, and the conservation of species for this purpose. I am involved in funded projects on benthic fishing impacts to the ocean carbon cycle, enhanded rock weathering in freshwater systems and the efficiency of the biological pump in the polar oceans.