Research Topics

Follow your interests to learn about VIMS research and its impacts

Here's a one-stop shop to learn about the impacts of VIMS research. Choose a topic to access related Top Stories, Advisory Service reports, journal articles, theses and dissertations, and a listing of affiliated labs, projects, and centers.

Marine Life Processes
Marine Life & Processes

VIMS research illuminates the biology of marine organisms and the biogeochemical and food-web processes that connect them.

Coastal Research
Coastal Research

Wise management of coastal resources requires a clear understanding of wetlands, dunes, and shoreline erosion.

Blue Crab
Blue Crabs

VIMS provides the science to help sustainably manage this Chesapeake Bay icon.

Disease and Immunity
Aquatic Diseases & Immunity

Traditional and modern techniques help identify disease organisms and the genetic basis of immunity.

Oysters
Oysters

VIMS leads efforts to restore the native oyster and develop oyster aquaculture.

Tiger Shark
Sharks

Research programs at VIMS continue to inform stock assessments and fishery management plans at federal and state levels.

Deadzones
Dead Zones

VIMS research shows that the number of "dead zones"—areas of seafloor with too little oxygen for most marine life—increased by a third between 1995 and 2007.

Global Change
Global Change

Climate change, sea-level rise, and nutrient pollution threaten coastal and estuarine ecosystems.

Albatross plastics
Pollution

Toxicologists at VIMS detect, identify, and assess the risks of marine pollutants.

By region
By Region

Map VIMS research activities in the Chesapeake Bay and around the globe.

SAV
SAV

Submerged aquatic vegetation provides refuge and food for many Bay organisms but is under threat from cloudy waters and rising temperatures.

Fisheries
Fisheries

VIMS researchers pursue efforts to monitor, restore, and manage wild fisheries.

Coastal Economies
Coastal Economies & Recreation

Sustainable management of marine resources helps build strong and vibrant coastal communities.

Observing Modeling
Observing & Modelling

Computer models plus real-time data help predict storm surge, sediment transport, and food-web dynamics.

Sturgeon
Sturgeon

VIMS research plays a key role in efforts to restore Atlantic sturgeon to the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.

Aquaculture
Aquaculture

VIMS researchers pursue efforts to guide aquaculture development.