Plastic Pollution
How much lost fishing gear contributes to ocean pollution each year?
A realistic global estimate for derelict fishing gear in our oceans.
Author: Kayla Mladinich
I am a PhD candidate at the University of Connecticut-Avery Point exploring the dynamic interactions of microplastics and suspension feeding invertebrates. Through both field and laboratory work, I am working to understand which kinds of microplastics (different shapes, sizes, compositions) oysters, mussels, tunicates, and slippersnails consume and determine which species can be used to monitor microplastic pollution in our coastal waters. When I am not working on my research, I enjoy hiking with my husband and pup, being near or in the water, and spending time with family and friends.
Climate Change
It’s getting hotter out there…
The global ocean is experiencing heat on a more intensive scale than it has in the last 150 years.
Harmful Algal Bloom SURFO Special
SURFO SPECIAL: How Toxic Phytoplankton Might Make You Regret Your Last Lobster Roll
SURFO student, Elisabeth Sellinger, describes her work with toxic algae.
Behavior
Blue shark behaviors revealed using satellite tags
Satellite tags help us better understand how different blue shark populations move and behave.
Aquaculture Climate Change Ocean Acidification
Oyster aquaculture effects on local acidification in estuaries
Researchers investigate how large-scale oyster aquaculture affects ocean acidification.
Plastic Pollution
Searching for microplastics: Scientists find a ‘missing’ piece
Researchers at FAU collected microplastics at different depths in the South Atlantic Subtropical Gyre. What they found will alter global…
Human impacts Plastic Pollution
Can citizen science improve marine debris monitoring efforts?
Public cleanup efforts should be useful for monitoring debris on our coastlines, but these efforts can lead to low-quality data…
Plastic
Scratching the surface: Microplastic distribution in the surface layer of the world’s ocean
Researchers have developed a dataset of microplastics in the ocean surface waters across the globe.
Biogeochemistry
Human activities worsen warming, acidification, and oxygen loss in the Southern California Bight
Climate change is causing global warming, ocean acidification, and decreasing oxygen levels in the ocean. According to detailed models, these…
Biology Chemistry Hazards Human Health Plastic Pollution
How many microplastics are in your body? An insight into lifetime accumulation
Microscopic plastics have been found anywhere and everywhere, including in the food we eat. With plastic pollution on the rise,…