Contact: Margaret Nagle (207) 581-3744 The Gulf of Maine waters are cooler, fresher and lower in nitrate than they were 30 years ago, causing a nutrient shift that has potential implications for the structure of the planktonic ecosystem, according to oceanographers at the University of Maine. Based on recent oceanographic observations, coupled with a 50-year read more Nutrient Shift Occurring in the Gulf of Maine Could Affect Planktonic Ecosystem