Biological oceanography
Seeing Swarms from Space, Zooplankton in Action
Ever wonder how living creatures in the ocean can be seen all the way from space? A recent study by Basedow and co-researchers found that they could detect red colored zooplankton in images collected by satellites. Melanie FeenI am a first year graduate student at the Graduate School of Oceanography at University of Rhode Island. […]
Lightheaded: Why some plankton may soon be gasping for breath
The amount of oxygen in the ocean is expected to decrease every decade due to climate change. In the Oxygen Minimum Zone, the area of the ocean with the least oxygen, what does this mean for the future of zooplankton? Kristin HuizengaI am a PhD candidate studying Biological Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island […]
The real-time impact of ship noise on dolphin calls
Dolphins are not alone in their adaption to noisy surroundings. Understanding the long-term sustainability of these animals ability to communicate with each other with altered calls is important for establishing meaningful protections for them as greater levels of noise are introduced into their surroundings. Anne M. HartwellHello, welcome to Oceanbites! My name is Annie, I’m […]
Coral Cultures- A Test of Strength
What corals can best tolerate the effects of climate change? Check out this review of a recent paper by Yuan et al. to find out! Melanie FeenI am a first year graduate student at the Graduate School of Oceanography at University of Rhode Island. I use robots and satellites to research the biological carbon pump, […]
A Balancing Act for the US Atlantic scallop: Ocean Acidification and Fishery Management
Commercially important fisheries around the world are threatened by environmental changes. This post explores the effect of ocean acidification (OA) on the US Atlantic sea scallop. There is a fine balance between managing the scallop fishery and understanding the impacts from OA. As OA continues to threaten the fishery, there must be efficient management practices […]
Ecology of Fear: Current Implications of Orca Presence on Narwhal Behavior and Future Trends
The ecology of fear is a hypothesis that predators drive habitat use and behavior in prey species. In the Arctic, the orca drives behavioral changes in a variety of species including narwhals. Analyzing a narwhal population in a Fjord in Greenland researchers were able to look at how fear drives narwhal behavior. Article Breed, Greg […]
Rugged Southern Ocean phytoplankton weather the storm(s)
Phytoplankton from the “wild west” of the world’s oceans have learned to regrow after storms… over and over and over again. Nyla HusainI’m a 4th year PhD student at the University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography. I use models to study small-scale turbulence at the air-sea interface induced by airflow over surface gravity waves […]
Small currents influence small creatures
Phytoplankton, the tiny photosynthesizing organisms in the ocean, tend to just go with the flow. Even the smallest currents can push them around. But how much does this rearranging actual matter for plankton populations? Eric OrensteinEric is a PhD student at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. His research in the Jaffe Laboratory for Underwater Imaging […]
Phytoplankton Expanding Northward as Arctic Sea Ice Retreats
A recent study uses satellite data to show that Arctic sea ice retreat is causing changes in the timing and location of spring phytoplankton blooms, which play a large role in the regional ecosystem and carbon cycle. Channing PrendI’m a physical oceanography PhD student at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, California. I use […]
Productivity Comes In Waves
How do waves in the ocean affect phytoplankton? Check out this post to learn more! Melanie FeenI am a first year graduate student at the Graduate School of Oceanography at University of Rhode Island. I use robots and satellites to research the biological carbon pump, which is a series of processes that transfer carbon dioxide […]
Millennial algae are not as productive: lazy, or less sea ice opportunities?
Why aren’t Arctic phytoplankton as productive as they used to be? Is it a lazy millennial thing, or something more complex and systematic? Researchers use observations to learn more about this generation of phytoplankton, and what it could mean for Gen Z and beyond… Nyla HusainI’m a 4th year PhD student at the University of […]
Growing a Scientist: Undergraduate Research 2018, part 2
Check out these posts by guest authors Anna Ward, Cassandra Alexander, Lauren Cook, and Sarah Paulson about microzooplankton, harmful algae blooms, daily migration in the deep sea, and eastern oysters–these students were part of the SURFO program at URI-GSO over Summer 2018, and have some really exciting research to share! Anna RobuckI am a third […]
Not So Organic Marine Snow
What happens when plastic pollution mixes into the ocean carbon cycle? Read to find out more about how plastic from the surface ocean might reach mussels living at the bottom of the sea! Melanie FeenI am a first year graduate student at the Graduate School of Oceanography at University of Rhode Island. I use robots […]
Octopus Mama Drama: Research Expedition Bonus Science
Dorado Outcrop is a small underwater mountain that first received attention from a few scientists because the seafloor that it sits upon is colder than what is expected. It ended up in the media spot-light because of the hundreds of octopuses that call it home. Anne M. HartwellHello, welcome to Oceanbites! My name is Annie, […]
Fixin’ to lose: Trichodesmium reacts to climate change
Nitrogen is vital for all life on the planet. One of the main global sources for nitrogen, the bacteria Trichodesmium, may stop providing nitrogen to the global cycle in an ocean affected by climate change. LeAundra JeffsI am a Master’s Candidate at University of Delaware where I study the evolution of microbes in the sediments […]
Turn Up The Heat, Turn Down the Productivity
What happens if we do not curb carbon emissions? In a recent study, Moore and co-authors (2018) predict the implications of sustained carbon emissions. Ocean nutrients may be redistributed leaving much of the global ocean in a state of declining biological production! Check out this article to learn more! Melanie FeenI am a first year graduate […]
Cyanobacteria invasions… from space?
They may not come from space, but they can be seen from up there! Learn how microscopic plants called cyanobacteria accumulate in the Baltic Sea, how they’re measured with satellites, and what it all means. Nyla HusainI’m a 4th year PhD student at the University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography. I use models to […]
Arctic Lights
We often think of the Arctic as a cold, dark place. But as sea ice continues to recede in the far north, the Arctic ocean might get quite a bit lighter. A new study out of Norway suggests these changes could alter the behavior of a particularly important type of plankton. Eric OrensteinEric is a […]
Biofilms are a prominent first step in the colonization of wood-falls
A profound yet never-before-appreciated first step in the colonization of sulfur oxidizing bacteria on the surface of wood-debris in the deep-sea is attributed to sugars and other labile components of wood. Anne M. HartwellHello, welcome to Oceanbites! My name is Annie, I’m a marine research scientist who has been lucky to have had many roles […]
The Declining Japanese Eel Population: Is Ocean Circulation to Blame?
Recent declines in Japanese eel populations have been attributed to overfishing, but that may not be the only factor at play. Chang et al. investigate whether recent changes in ocean circulation might help explain this alarming trend. Julia DohnerJulia is a PhD student at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, California. Her focus is […]
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