Research

The Center is organized around three research departments and three specific programs:

Department of Ecology
The Department of Ecology at CCS encompasses interconnected disciplines that investigate a variety of areas including mid-water habitat studies, fin and shell fisheries, aquaculture, zoo and phytoplankton biology, toxic algae monitoring, sea grass ecology and restoration, marine nutrient chemistry, pharmaceutical pollution, oceanography, pinniped (seal) studies, and large whale ecology, distribution, and behavior. The department’s Marine Debris and Plastics Program cuts across the research areas of the department and interacts with the departments of Marine Geology and Population Biology.

The Department of Ecology has a comprehensive mission aimed at developing an understanding of the relationship between the physical and biological components of the marine system and human activities in coastal and off-shore environments. The research programs and projects within the Department of Ecology include:

· Marine and Estuarine Studies Program

· Marine Debris and Plastics Program

· Marine Fisheries Research Program

· Right Whale Ecology Program

· Seal Studies

Department of Population Biology
The Department of Population Biology focuses on questions of population structure, dynamics and the factors that affect their viability. Our collaborative work draws upon a wide range of tools and fields, including mark-recapture statistics, molecular genetics, genomics, microbiology, endocrinology, toxicology and ethology. The impacts of human activities on marine mammal populations are a particular focus of research. Although our activities take place predominantly in the North Atlantic, work is also done in other oceans to improve understanding of these cryptic, wide ranging species. The department also undertakes capacity building for research and conservation through training programs and collaboration. The primary research program within the Department of Population Biology is:

· Humpback Whale Studies

Department of Marine Geology
The Department of Marine Geology studies the geological processes that occur along or near the coast, from estuaries and lagoons to the inner continental shelf. This research focuses on topics such as coastal sediment transport, tidal inlet evolution, ocean waves and tidal currents, shoreline change, seafloor mapping, as well as storm impacts to beach, dune and shallow water ecosystems. Programs within the Department of Marine Geology include:

· Seafloor (Benthic) Mapping Program

· Land/Sea Interactions Program

· The CaPE Lab

Contact Us

Entanglement Hotline: (800) 900-3622
[email protected]
(508) 487-3622
5 Holway Avenue
Provincetown, MA 02657
(508) 487-3623

Get Involved