The Science Powering a Healthier Ocean

For many people, summer means heading to the beach, riding waves, and enjoying the surf. Beneath the surface, however, the ocean is working every day to sustain life on Earth. It helps regulate the climate, produces about half of the oxygen we breathe, and supports food, jobs, and economies around the globe.

Today, these vital systems face growing threats. Warming waters, pollution and nutrient runoff are damaging marine ecosystems and fueling low-oxygen “dead zones” where marine life struggles to survive. Rising seas, stronger storms, and accelerating coastal land loss place even greater pressure on already vulnerable coastal communities, underscoring the need for science-driven solutions to protect these vital resources.

At LSU’s College of the Coast & Environment, researchers are working to better understand these complex issues and provide the science needed to address them. Located near the mouth of the Mississippi River and on one of the world’s most dynamic coastlines, CC&E is uniquely positioned to study the environmental challenges shaping Louisiana and other vulnerable coastal regions. Researchers investigate coastal land loss, pollution, severe weather, hypoxia, harmful algal blooms, flooding, hurricanes, and other stressors affecting ocean and coastal health.

The college is home to internationally recognized experts whose work and resilience worldwid. National Academy of Sciences member Dr. Nancy Rabalais is widely regarded as one of the world’s leading authorities on coastal hypoxia and the Gulf of Mexico’s seasonal dead zone. Dr. George Xue’s team developed a novel two-way coastal flooding model and the first real-time flood forecasting digital twin. CC&E also includes renowned wetland biogeochemist Dr. John White and Dr. Robert Twilley, one of the world’s most influential coastal ecologists Dr. Kevin Xu, the director of LSU’s Coastal Studies Institute, studies how sediment moves on a coastline and Dr. Eurico D’Sa, who recently received CC&E’s James P. Morgan Professorship, focuses on how coastal and ocean systems respond to environmental change. 

“ Ocean health is not a distant issue. It influences the air we breathe, the food we eat, the economies we depend on, and the communities we call home. ”

To tackle these challenges, CC&E researchers combine cutting-edge technology with field-based science. They use satellites, sensors and high-frequency radar to monitor changes in wetlands, shorelines, and coastal waters; collect data on water quality, sediment movement, and ecosystem health; and develop advanced models that improve forecasts of flooding, storm impacts, and low-oxygen conditions. Researchers also track oil and other hazardous releases, identify their sources, and study how contaminants move through the environment. Their work extends beyond understanding problems to developing solutions, including strategies to restore wetlands, strengthen natural defenses, and build more resilient coastlines.

One example is the college’s work to improve forecasts of the northern Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone. Caused largely by excess nutrient runoff, this low-oxygen area can harm fisheries and marine ecosystems. More accurate forecasting helps scientists, policymakers, and coastal stakeholders better understand changing conditions and evaluate actions that may reduce impacts over time. Other CC&E research is improving understanding of harmful algal blooms, coastal flooding, fish migration and the long-term effects of hurricanes and land loss, issues that directly affect public health, fisheries, infrastructure, and local economies. As scientists project significant changes to Louisiana’s coastline in the coming decades, research conducted here is helping inform resilience strategies in coastal regions around the globe.

Observed annually on June 8, World Ocean Day serves as a reminder that ocean health is not a distant issue. It influences the air we breathe, the food we eat, the economies we depend on, and the communities we call home. Through research, education, and innovation, LSU’s College of the Coast & Environment is helping generate the knowledge needed to protect our coasts, strengthen resilience, and ensure a healthier ocean future for generations to come.