Atlantic Meridional Transect (AMT)

Summary of the project

The Atlantic Meridional Transect (AMT) is a multidisciplinary programme which undertakes biological, chemical and physical oceanographic research during an annual voyage between the UK and destinations in the South Atlantic - previously the Falkland Islands, South Africa and Chile, a distance of up to 13,500km. This transect crosses a range of ecosystems from sub-polar to tropical and from euphotic shelf seas and upwelling systems to oligotrophic mid-ocean gyres. AMT has provided an in-situ observation system for the Atlantic Ocean between ~50°N and ~50°S since 1995, and to-date this has involved 223 scientists from 18 different countries. AMT informs on trends and variability in biodiversity and function of the Atlantic ecosystem during this period of rapid change to our climate and biosphere. AMT is unique in its ability to acquire data on long NS transects of the Atlantic and to make observations on basin scales. It represents the longest running programme based in the Atlantic Ocean that makes repeat measurements of core parameters and provides a platform for excellent multi-disciplinary oceanographic research. AMT has provided by far, the longest time series of data on basin scales. This unique spatially extensive decadal dataset continues to be deposited and made available to the wider community through the British Oceanographic Data Centre. The programme is hosted by Plymouth Marine Laboratory in collaboration with the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton and provides an exceptional opportunity for nationally and internationally driven collaborative endeavours. An integral part of the AMT, which has resulted in more than 60 completed PhD theses, is to provide a training arena for the next generation of oceanographers. This aim has been enhanced recently through the development of the POGO-AMT fellowship programme (http://ocean-partners.org/) which supports the participation of students or early career professionals from developing nations. Participants in this fellowship programme benefit from working alongside experienced researchers in the development of research skills, the formation of collaborative links and capacity building for their home institutes and countries.

Area of study

The Atlantic Ocean – ~50°N to ~ 50°S

Time Table for activities

1995 - present

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