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Author: Valeska Upham

For my fisheries and aquatic science PhD I am working on how to tank raise urchins and transplant them onto reefs across the Florida Keys in order to help reverse the phase shift from algae dominated back to coral dominated.
Biology Conservation Coral Ecology

The importance of sea urchins

A look into Valeska’s graduate research. Why coral reefs depend on the long spined black sea urchin for survival.
April 6, 2016 Valeska Upham
Conservation Ecology Human impacts

Are satellite tags the new dinner bell for harbor seals?

Satellite tags are being used to study the foraging behavior of fishes, but in the lab harbor seals have been…
March 7, 2016 Valeska Upham
Coral Evolution Geology Ocean Exploration

Happy Birthday Charles Darwin

207 years ago, a renowned naturalist and geologist was born; Charles Darwin. Today OceanBites is honoring Charles Darwin and his…
February 12, 2016February 12, 2016 Valeska Upham
Biology Climate Change Ecology Fisheries

Disoriented fish are getting lost at sea!

Young fish rely on sound cues to navigate the vast ocean, but as our oceans acidify, the journey home to…
January 7, 2016January 7, 2016 Valeska Upham
Ecology

Predator vs. Prey: starfish vs. coral

The crown-of-thorns starfish has become a vicious predator of acroporid corals in the Indo-Pacific. This study looks at recruitment strategies…
December 22, 2015 Valeska Upham
Climate Change Ecology Fisheries

Always follow your gut, or in this case, follow the fish guts

Following the guts of fish species is sometimes the best way to track small, mobile crustacean prey.
November 23, 2015November 23, 2015 Valeska Upham
Ecology Fisheries

I’ll stand guard for you!

When it comes to helping each other out, it turns out that some fishes are better at it than we…
October 26, 2015October 26, 2015 Valeska Upham
Climate Change

The barrels of the sea; giant barrel sponges that is

Giant barrel sponges are understudied compared to many other marine organisms, but that doesn’t make them any less important. Climate…
September 10, 2015 Valeska Upham
Biology Climate Change Ecology

Corals better learn to keep up or they may drown!

The coral reefs protecting many islands in the Pacific need to grow quickly in order to keep up with the…
August 17, 2015August 17, 2015 Valeska Upham
Climate Change Human impacts ocean engineering technology

An exact replica of a coral reef right in the office!

In order to better understand coral reef complexity and structure researchers developed a cost effective way to 3D print coral…
July 13, 2015 Valeska Upham
Coastal Management Ecology Human impacts

Do fish communities need natural shorelines, or are artificial structures ok?

Due to coastal development and natural erosion, shoreline fish communities are stressed. Several versions of artificial structures have been built…
June 16, 2015June 16, 2015 Valeska Upham
Climate Change Ecology Fisheries Human impacts

What would coral reefs be like without human impact?

One would think that an isolated reef ecosystem shielded from the influence of people would provide an ideal benchmark against…
May 18, 2015May 18, 2015 Valeska Upham
Biology Climate Change Ecology

Just sealing around; Ice seal misidentification in aerial surveys

Aerial photographs are a great way to collect images of marine species in order to analyze their distribution patterns. Distinguishing…
April 16, 2015April 17, 2015 Valeska Upham
Climate Change Coral Genetics

A new thermally tolerant species of algae is found!

Rising ocean temperatures threaten coral reefs, but a new thermal tolerant algae could help.
March 16, 2015 Valeska Upham
Biology Coral Genetics

Is a coral’s color all for show?

Two of the exact same corals, sitting right next to each other, often appear to be different based on their…
February 13, 2015 Valeska Upham
Biology Ecology

Watch out guys, pregnant whale sharks are on the loose!

Whale sharks have become an increasingly popular tourist attraction, but much of their life history remains largely unknown. This study…
January 15, 2015January 15, 2015 Valeska Upham
Ecology

How do jellyfish find their prey?

Jellyfish bloom have multiplied over the years, gathering in large quantities in the Norwegian fjords. Researchers used this opportunity to…
December 15, 2014 Valeska Upham
Climate Change Conservation Coral Ecology Human impacts

Can a complex model hold the fate of the crown-of-thorns starfish?

Not all starfish are cute! The crown-of-thorns starfish has been eating all the coral on the Great Barrier Reef! Researchers…
November 21, 2014November 21, 2014 Valeska Upham
Ecology

The Language of Fishes

Coral reefs are composed of hundreds of different species, who all use different acoustics to communicate, just like we use…
October 23, 2014October 23, 2014 Valeska Upham
Book Review Ecology Fisheries

What factors influence Lionfish success in the Bahamas?

Lionfish are recent invaders of the Caribbean Basin and are reproducing at a rapid rate, their population continuing to grow…
September 22, 2014September 6, 2021 Valeska Upham

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