Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences
17 Biological Lane
St. George's GE 01
Bermuda
Tel: 508-289-7744
Fax: 508-457-5148
E-mail: Maureen.conte@bios.edu



Specialization:
Organic Geochemistry, Oceanic Particle Flux, Biogenic Aerosols 

Profile:
Dr. Conte is an organic geochemist whose principal interest is in development and use of key organic compounds ("biomarkers") and inorganic tracers to study the processes that control the global carbon cycle. Dr. Conte is Principal Investigator of the Oceanic Flux Program (OFP) time-series, a nearly 30-year time-series study of sedimentation patterns in the deep ocean. Current OFP research focuses on the influence of surface ocean physical and biological processes on oceanic particle flux variability over time scales of weeks-decades, and on the reprocessing of particle flux within the water column. Dr. Conte additionally has an active research program on the organic geochemistry of atmospheric aerosols. Current atmospheric research focuses on the organic and isotopic chemistry of terrestrial biogenic compounds in aerosols (e.g. plant leaf waxes and biomass burning tracers) to elucidate the influences of terrestrial processes on the global carbon cycle.

Current Research: 

• Trace level molecular and isotopic organic geochemistry of oceanic and air-borne particles.
• Development of applications of lipid biomarker compounds in studies of the organic carbon cycle, including development of molecular proxies for paleoclimate reconstructions.
• The production, flux and early diagenesis of organic material in the marine environment, in particular the use of biomarkers to elucidate fundamental interactions and linkages of particle flux with physical, chemical and biological processes on timescales of days to decades.
• The use of plant biomarkers in aerosols in climate studies as indicators of terrestrial biosphere functioning. 

Educational Background: 

• B.A. Geography and Environmental Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, 1975
• M.A. Geochemistry, Columbia University, 1982
• M.Phil. Geochemistry, Columbia University, 1987
• Ph.D. Geochemistry, Columbia University, 1989

Selected Publications: 

• Conte, M.H., M.-A. Sicre, C. Ruhlemann, J.C. Weber, S. Schulte, D. Schulz-Bull and T. Blanz. 2006. Global temperature calibration of the alkenone unsaturation index (UK'37) in surface waters and comparison with surface sediments. Geochem., Geophys., Geosys., 7, doi:10.1029/2005GC001054.
• Medeiros, P.M., M.H. Conte, J.C. Weber and B.R.T. Simoneit. 2006. Sugars as source indicators of biogenic organic carbon in aerosols collected above the Howland Experimental Forest, Maine. Atmos. Environ., 40:1694-1705.
• Conte, M.H., T.D. Dickey, J.C. Weber, R.J. Johnson and A.H. Knap (2003). Transient physical forcing of pulsed export of bioreactive organic material to the deep Sargasso Sea. Deep-Sea Research I, 50:1157-1187.
• More publications

Publications in Peer-reviewed Journals:

(35) Van Beek, P., R. Francois, M. Conte, J.-L. Reyss, M. Souhant and M. Charette (in press) 228Ra/226Ra and 226Ra/Ba ratios in seawater and particles at the OFP site in the western Sargasso Sea near Bermuda. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta.

(34) Huang, S., E. R. Sholkovitz and M. H. Conte (in press) Application of high-temperature fusion for analysis of major and trace elements in marine sediment trap samples. Limnol. Oceanogr: Methods.

(33) Conte, M. H., M.-A. Sicre, C. Ruhlemann, J. C. Weber, S. Schulte, D. Schulz-Bull and T. Blanz (2006) Global temperature calibration of the alkenone unsaturation index (UK'37) in surface waters and comparison with surface sediments. Geochem., Geophys., Geosys. 7, doi:10.1029/2005GC001054

(32) Medeiros, P. M., M. H. Conte, J. C. Weber and B. R. T. Simoneit (2006) Sugars as source indicators of biogenic organic carbon in aerosols collected above the Howland Experimental Forest, Maine. Atmos. Environ. 40, 1694-1705.

(31) Conte, M. H., T. D. Dickey, J. C. Weber, R. J. Johnson and A. H. Knap. (2003) Transient physical forcing of pulsed export of bioreactive organic material to the deep Sargasso Sea. Deep-Sea Research I 50, 1157-1187.

(30) Anand, P., H. Elderfield and M. H. Conte (2003) Calibration of Mg/Ca thermometry in planktonic foraminifera from a sediment trap time series. Paleoceanogr. 18, doi: 10.1029/2002PA000846.

(29) Conte, M. H., J. C. Weber, P. J. Carlson and L. B. Flanagan. (2003) Molecular and carbon isotopic composition of leaf wax in vegetation and aerosols in a northern prairie ecosystem. Oecologia,135, 67-77.

(28) Conte, M.H.  and J.C. Weber (2002) Long range atmospheric transport of terrestrial biomarkers to the western North Atlantic, Global Biogeochem. Cycles. 16(4), 1142, doi:10.1029/2002GB001922.

(27) Conte, M.H.  and J.C. Weber (2002) Plant biomarkers in aerosols record isotopic discrimination of terrestrial photosynthesis. Nature 417, 639-641.

(26) Antia, A.N. , W. Koeve,, G. Fischer, T. Blanz, D. Schulz-Bull, J. Scholten, S. Neuer, K. Kremling, J. Kuss, R. Peinert, D. Hebbeln, U. Bathmann, M. Conte, U. Fehner, B. Zeitzschel. (2001)  Basin-wide particulate carbon flux in the Atlantic Ocean: regional export patterns and potential for atmospheric CO2 sequestration. Global Biogeochem. Cycles 15, 845-862.

(25) Bijma J., Altabet M., Conte M., Kinkel H, Versteegh J. M., Volkman J. K., Wakeham S. G. and Weaver P. P. (2001) Primary signal: Ecological and environmental factors- Report from Working Group 2. Geochem., Geophys., Geosystems, 2, paper number 2000GC000051.

(24) Eglinton, T. I., M. H. Conte, G. Eglinton and J. M. Hayes (2001) Proceedings of a workshop on alkenone-based paleoceanographic indicators. Geochem., Geophys., Geosystems, 2, paper number 2000GC000122.

(23) Conte, M.H., J.C. Weber, L.L. King, S.G. Wakeham (2001) The alkenone temperature signal in western North Atlantic surface waters. Geochem. Cosmochim. Acta 65, 4275-4287

(22) Conte, M.H., N. Ralph and E. Ross (2001) Seasonal and interannual variability in deep ocean particle fluxes at the Oceanic Flux Program/Bermuda Atlantic Time-series (BATS) site in the western Sargasso Sea near Bermuda, Deep-Sea Res. II, 48, 1471-1505.

(21) Conte, M.H., J. C. Weber, and N. Ralph (1998) Episodic particle flux in the deep Sargasso Sea: An organic geochemical assessment. Deep-Sea Res. I 45, 1819-1841.

(20) Conte, M.H., A. Thompson, D. Lesley and R. P. Harris (1998) Genetic variability and physiological influences on the alkenone/alkenoate versus growth temperature relationship in Emiliania huxleyi and Gephyrocapsa oceanica. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 62, 51-68.

(19) Madureira, L. A. S., S. van Keveld, G. Eglinton, M. H. Conte, G. Ganssen, J. E. van Hinte, J. Ottens. (1997) Late Quaternary high-resolution biomarker and other sedimentary climate proxies in a northeast Atlantic core. Paleoceanogr. 12, 255-269.

(18) Ternois, Y., M.-A. Sicre, A. Lorre, A. Saliot, M. H. Conte and G. Eglinton (1997) Evaluation of long-chain alkenones as paleotemperature indicators in the Mediterranean Sea. Deep-Sea Res. 44, 271-286.

(17) Conte, M. H., G. Eglinton and L. A. S. Madureira (1995) Origin and fate of organic biomarker compounds in the water column and sediments of the eastern North Atlantic. Phil. Transactions of the Royal Society 348, 169-178.

(16) Conte, M. H. , J. C. Green and G. Eglinton (1995) Lipid biomarker diversity in the coccolithophorid Emiliania huxleyi (PRYMNESIOPHYCEAE) and the related species Gephyrocapsa oceanica. J. Phycol. 31,272-282.

(15) Madureira, L. A. S., M. H. Conte and G. Eglinton (1995) The early diagenesis of lipid biomarker compounds in North Atlantic sediments. Paleoceanogr. 10, 627-642.

(14) Peterson, L. C., M. R. Abbott, D. M. Anderson, J. P. Caulet, M. H. Conte, K. C. Emeis, A. E. S. Kemp, and C. P. Summerhayes. (1995) How do upwelling systems vary through time? pp. 285 - 313 in C. P. Summerhayes et al. (eds.) Upwelling in the Ocean: Modern Processes and Ancient Records. J. Wiley and Sons, Chichester. 422 pp.

(13) Conte, M. H. , A. Thompson, and G. Eglinton (1994) Primary production of lipid biomarker compounds by Emiliania huxleyi: Results from an experimental mesocosm study in fjords of southern Norway. Sarsia 79, 319-331.

(12) Conte, M. H., L. A. S. Madureira, D. Keen, C. Rendall, and G. Eglinton (1994) Millimeter-scale profiling of abyssal marine sediments: Role of bioturbation in early sterol diagenesis. Org. Geochem. 22, 979-998.

(11) Conte, M. H., J. K. Volkman and G. Eglinton (1994). Lipid biomarkers of the Haptophyta In: The Haptophyte Algae, eds. J. C. Green and B. S. C. Leadbetter, Clarendon Press, pp. 351 - 377.

(10) Conte, M. H. and G. Eglinton (1993) Alkenone and alkenoate distributions within the euphotic zone of the eastern North Atlantic: Correlation with production temperature. Deep-Sea Res. 40, 1935 - 1962.

(9) Westbroek, P., C. W. Brown, J. van Bleijswijk, G. J. Brummer, M. H. Conte, J. Egge, E. Fernandez, R. Jordan, M. Knappertsbusch, J. Stefels, M. Veldhuis, P. van der Wal and J. Young (1993) A model system approach to biological climate forcing: The example of Emiliania huxleyi. Global and Planetary Change 8, 27 - 46.

(8) Weeks, A., M. H. Conte, R. P. Harris, A. Bedo, I Bellan, P. H. Burkill, E. S. Edwards, D. S. Harbour, H. Kennedy, C. Llewellyn, P. Burkill, R. F. C. Mantoura, C. E. Morales, A. J. Pomroy and C. C. Turley. (1993) The physical and chemical environment and changes in community structure associated with bloom evolution: the JGOFS North Atlantic Bloom Experiment. Deep-Sea Res. II 40, 347-368.

(7) Conte, M. H , G. Eglinton and L. A. S. Madureira.(1992) Long- chain alkenones and alkyl alkenoates as paleotemperature indicators: Their production, flux and early diagenesis in the Eastern North Atlantic. In: Adv. in Organic Geochemistry 1991, C. B. Eckardt, S. R. Larter et. al,  editors, Organic Geochemistry 19, 287-298.

(6) Conte, M. H. and Bishop, J. K. B. (1988) Nanogram quantification of nonpolar lipid classes in environmental samples by high-performance thin-layer chromatography. Lipids 23, 493-500.

(5) Conte, M. H., Bishop, J. K. B. and Backus, R. H. (1986) Nonmigratory, 12-kHz, deep scattering layers of Sargasso Sea origin in warm-core rings. Deep-Sea Res. 33, 1869-1884.

(4) Bishop, J. K. B, Conte, M. H., Wiebe, P. H., Roman, M. R. and Langdon, C. (1986) Particulate matter production and consumption in deep mixed layers: Observations in a warm-core ring. Deep-Sea Res. 33, 1813-1841.

(3) Bishop, J. K. B., Schupack, D., Scherrell, R. M. and Conte, M. H. (1985) A Multiple Unit Large Volume in situ  Filtration System (MULVFS) for sampling oceanic particulate material  in mesoscale environments. In: A. Zirino, ed. Mapping Strategies in  Chemical Oceanography, vol. 209, Adv. in Chemistry Series, Am. Chem. Soc., Washington D. C.

(2) Conte, M. H., Otto, R. G and Miller, P. E. (1980) Day/night distributions of juvenile fishes in the Upper Chesapeake Bay. Special Report No. 80, Chesapeake Bay Institute, Baltimore MD.