The Ocean Studies Board will have their next board meeting in Washington, DC, March 20-22, 2013. For more information, contact Pamela Lewis.

Evaluating changes to ecosystem services -- the benefits people receive from natural resources and processes -- in the Gulf of Mexico caused by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill could help understand changes to the ecosystem and the public.

Satellite measurements of ocean color provide a global perspective on the health of the ocean by allowing us to track changes in the abundance and productivity of phytoplankton, microscopic organisms that live in the ocean's surface waters.

Through direct exploration of the subseafloor, U.S.-supported scientific ocean drilling programs have significantly contributed to a broad range of scientific accomplishments in Earth science disciplines, shaping understanding of Earth systems and enabling new fields of inquiry.

The nation's ability to detect and forecast tsunamis has improved since the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, but current efforts are still not sufficient to meet challenges posed by tsunamis generated near land, which leave little time for warning.