Department of Marine Biology

The Department of Marine Biology of the Estonian Marine Institute conducts research across all taxonomic groups and size classes of marine life in the Baltic Sea. The department also includes the accredited Hydrochemistry and Marine Biology Laboratories. Its activities encompass experimental work in laboratory complexes, research at field stations and intensive fieldwork in coastal and open-sea environments.

Major research topics include

• biodiversity and geographical distribution of marine life in the Baltic Sea;
• distribution and seasonal dynamics of plankton in the Baltic Sea;
• distribution and dynamics of phytobenthos in the Baltic Sea;
• occurrence and impact of non-native species in the Baltic Sea ecosystem;
• productivity, matter and energy cycles, and population dynamics within the Baltic Sea ecosystem;
• effect of seawater acidification and eutrophication on marine life in the Baltic Sea.

The Department’s most important applied research activities include:

• the National Marine Environment Monitoring Programme (responsible since 1995);
• assessment of the state of marine environment;
• operational automatic measurement of various marine environmental parameters from autonomous platforms, including ships of opportunity;
• inventory of biological diversity in coastal waters;
• studies on ocean acidification;
• GIS modelling and mapping of benthic species and communities;
• marine spatial planning;
• research supporting the blue economy;
• studies on marine litter.