His lab specializes in studies of the marine nitrogen cycle and the role of N2-fixation (diazotrophy) in structuring the flow of nitrogen and energy through planktonic ecosystems. Much of his lab’s work has focused on N cycle processes in marine ecosystems using a combination of direct experimental rate measurements and stable isotope natural abundance approaches. More recently, Dr. Montoya’s lab has become deeply involved in studies of the impact of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on offshore ecosystems of the Gulf of Mexico. The Montoya lab research program is highly interdisciplinary, incorporating work in plankton biology, marine chemistry, and isotope biogeochemistry both at sea and in the lab.