AOSC Seminar by Mara Freilich, 02/12/2026
AOSC Seminar
Mara Freilich
Brown University
Title
Ocean circulation and microbial processes mediate the impact of climate extremes on the ocean carbon cycle
Abstract
Submesoscale dynamics are particularly important for marine ecosystems as they occur on similar timescales as phytoplankton growth, enabling biophysical feedbacks. However, the extent to which submesoscale dynamics passively transport and stir plankton communities as opposed to inducing a reactive response remains a topic of debate. Resolving this is critical for understanding how ecological processes affect global biogeochemistry and for parameterizing interactions between biology and physics. Leveraging concurrent observations of microbial community composition from flow cytometry and amplicon sequencing, surface velocity at sub-kilometer resolution from airborne observations, drifters, incubations to estimate grazing rate, and subsurface tracer concentrations combined with modeling, we reveal the role of submesoscale transport in shaping the community composition in an eastern boundary current system. We find substantial impact from lateral redistribution — the rate of submesoscale eddy carbon flux estimated from this study is comparable to mesoscale eddy fluxes in prior work — and enhanced growth within a submesoscale feature. These results also yield insights into succession in microbial communities and are combined with theoretical analysis of growth-transport feedback to evaluate coupling between biological reactions and submesoscale dispersion in parameterizations of biogeochemical fluxes. I will also discuss applications of microbial ecology and biogeochemistry in collaboration with environmental justice communities.
Bio
Mara Freilich is the Thomas J. and Alice M. Tish Assistant Professor of Applied Mathematics and Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences. She uses mathematical modeling and observations to study the role of ocean and ecological dynamics in the climate system and biosphere. Her research focuses on fluid dynamics, biogeochemistry, and microbial ecology. She uses methods including theoretical analysis, numerical modeling, interdisciplinary observations, and community-engaged research. She is co-editor of Climate Changed: Models and the Built World.
Contact
If you are not subscribed to seminar announcements and need a link to this online seminar please contact aosc-helper. You can also subscribe to weekly links and announcements below.
AOSC Seminar
Pre-seminar refreshment: N/A
Seminar: 3:30-4:30pm, Room: ATL 2400(only when in-person)
Meet-the-Speaker: 4:30-5:00pm, Room: ATL 3400(only when in-person) [For AOSC Students only]
[ Subscribe to receive seminar announcements | Email aosc-deptseminar@umd.edu to give a seminar ]