Atlantic Meridional Transect

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. The main deliverable of AMT is an exceptional time series (1995-present) of spatially extensive and internally consistent observations on the structure and biogeochemical properties of planktonic ecosystems in the Atlantic Ocean that are required to validate models addressing questions related to the global carbon cycle.

A full list of AMT publications, which currently includes 220 published articles including two special issues of Deep-Sea Research II and one of Progress in Oceanography, can be found at: amt-uk.org/publications.aspx. This unique spatially extensive decadal dataset continues to be deposited and made available to the wider community through the British Oceanographic Data Centre (bodc.ac.uk/projects/uk/amt/).

The programme is hosted by Plymouth Marine Laboratory (pml.ac.uk/) in collaboration with the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton (noc.ac.uk/) 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 (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.