Biology Climate Change
Fatter Whales Float Better
North Atlantic right whales are giant marine mammals that rely on their blubber to store energy, stay warm, and float.…
Category: Biology
Biology
There’s no place like home
Lemon sharks travel many miles in their lifetime, but once a female becomes sexually mature she will be found right…
Biology Ecology
Picky Eaters: how the feeding preference of lobsters may be slowing the return of California kelp forests.
There is a well-documented link between increased sea urchin abundance and the overall decline of kelp forest ecosystems. Too many…
Biology
Abundant bacterial vesicles found in seawater
An abundant species of photosynthetic bacteria is found to release numerous membrane-bound packets. This is the first evidence of vesicle…
Biology
Worm food: Whale bones found in Antarctica are teeming with life
Marine biologists have discovered a whale skeleton nearly a mile below the surface in an undersea crater near Antarctica. At…
Biology Chemistry Fisheries
Big Fish Eats Little Fish: Biomagnification of Natural Toxins
Naturally occurring poisons produced by some microorganisms can concentrate to dangerous levels in carnivorous fish, just like man-made pollutants do.…
Biology Fisheries
The Grit in the Oyster – Pearl Farming in French Polynesia
French Polynesia produces a large majority of the world's Tahitian cultured pearls and is at the center of the multi-million…
Biology
Sunscreen for marine microbes
Humans are not the only species that apply suntan lotion to prevent sunburns. Microbes all over the globe produce their…
Biology
Coral Invasion in the Gulf of Mexico
The black sun coral is "invading" the Gulf! Once settled, it could out-compete other benthic epifauna and change the dynamic…
Biology
Marine herbivores “steal” and use chemical defenses from algal hosts
A recent study has shown that a species of amphipod is disregarding the “WARNING: DO NOT INGEST” label on chemically…
Biology
From sea to glowing sea: many fish are found to biofluoresce
Bioluminescence, or light generation, has long caught our eye in the dark ocean water, but researchers have recently discovered how…
Biology Fisheries Human impacts
Hitchin’ a Ride – The Risks of Ballast Water Exchange
Ballast water transfers occur in or near major ports all the time to keep up with the demands of global…
Biology Human impacts
Diamonds and Diversity: How mining waste is laying waste to marine communities.
With the holidays fast approaching, many of us are still scrambling to find gifts for friends and loved ones. Jewelry…
Biology
A unique, underwater niche for Christmas trees
Who would have thought that the Southern California Bight is a great place for Christmas trees to grow? Scientists have…
Biology Chemistry Climate Change
Is Aragonite Saturation State (Ωa) the Best Way to Describe Calcification Rate?
Nearly every scientific report concerning the effects of ocean acidification on coral reefs describes changes in calcification as a function…
Biology
Environmental Blow from Wind Farms
Wind farms are an ideal source of electrical power because of their ability to provide an environmentally low-impact fuel source…
Biology
Cuttlefish camouflage: A new method for studying the masters of disguise
Squid, octopus, and cuttlefish are considered masters of disguise in the ocean. But how do they do it? A recent…
Biology Chemistry
Like Mother, Like Son: Stingrays Pass Toxic Pollutants on to Their Offspring
Animals in early stages of development are particularly susceptible to harmful effects of toxic pollutants. For this reason, the transfer…
Biology Fisheries
How Our “Trash” Can Aid Juvenile Red Snappers
Cement, limestone, and even old barges are being used in the northern Gulf of Mexico to build additional habitats for…
Biology Chemistry
Is the Oil Sands Industry in Canada Linked to Mercury Levels in Birds?
The oil or "tar" sands in Alberta, Canada are the third largest known reserves of accessible oil in the world.…