Ecology
Damselfish farmers domesticated mysid shrimp
Farming and animal domestication are trademarks of establishing stable human civilizations. But we are not the only species to develop these methods. Reef-dwelling damselfishes known for farming their own algal gardens have recently been discovered tending to domesticated mysid shrimps. Read more about how and why this domestication developed. Ashley MarranzinoI received my Master’s degree […]
Plastics and Colors and Fish, Oh My!
Have you ever wondered what happens to the garbage that ends up in the ocean? Or about what just might eat this garbage thinking it might have been food? That what the scientists in this study looked at in Brazil. These scientists looked at the gut contents of several fish to see what they ate. […]
Eutrophication in the Chesapeake Bay
This post is in support of #BlackInMarineScience week highlighting Black scientists who have contributed to and are currently working in the marine science field. To find out more visit https://blackinmarsci.github.io/index.html. Ashley MickensI recently graduated with a degree in Environmental Earth Science and Sustainability from Miami University of Ohio, and I’m currently working as a marine […]
Peek-a-Boo, I See You and My Food Too
Imagine yourself floating in a metal cage off the side of a boat. You are waiting to see something rare, exciting, and in all reality dangerous if proper precautions are not used. Then you see it, a dark gray dorsal fin breaking the surface of the water. One of the ocean’s apex predators, a great […]
“Bienvenidos” to Baja California, Baby White Sharks!
Tamborin, E., Hoyos-Padilla, M., Sánchez-González, A., Hernández-Herrera, A., Elorriaga-Verplancken, F., Galván Magaña, F. (2019). “New Nursery Area for White Sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.” Turk. J. Fish.& Aquat. Sci. 20(4), 325-329. Big Travelers! Great white sharks, or simply white sharks, are considered one of the largest predators in the sea. They are […]
Red Light, Green Light… Squid Light?
It’s spooky season! And what better way to celebrate than learning about the creatures of the deep? This recent paper illuminates the way the Humboldt squid communicate in the deep sea darkness. Ashley MickensI recently graduated with a degree in Environmental Earth Science and Sustainability from Miami University of Ohio, and I’m currently working as […]
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galax-Sea
This team of scientists is studying microscopic organisms to help us understand more about the movement of sea turtles. Riley HenningI am currently a Master’s candidate in Environmental and Ocean Sciences at the University of San Diego, and I study the stickiness of phytoplankton using 3D images. By tracking collisions of phytoplankton, I can see […]
“Breaking Bad” inspired robot tracks sea turtle poachers
Sea turtle populations are declining, in no small part thanks to poachers. Here, the authors use robot-eggs to track poacher routes. Brandy BiggarI am a 2nd year Master’s student at the Memorial University of Newfoundland. I am researching the highly invasive species the European green crab, and the impact extreme weather events has on its […]
It’s a cold, cold winter for Arctic phytoplankton
Ever wonder what winter is like for marine organisms? What about those that rely on light for growth? In a recent study of microscopic photosynthesizers in some of the most extreme winter conditions in the Arctic, a group of scientists set out to investigate. Samantha SettaI’m a PhD student in the Rynearson Lab at the […]
Virtual Sea Turtles: Predicting the Movement of Hatchlings at Sea
A young sea turtle emerges from its nest and races toward the sea and several others are close behind as they dig their way out of the sand. You can probably think of what it’s like for a sea turtle hatchling at the very start of its life as it tries to make it to […]
SURFO Special: Ocean Color Optics and Imaging: Phytoplankton in Narragansett Bay
What can the color of the ocean tell us about the tiny algae that live in it? SURFO student Taylor Bowen spent this summer researching the relationship between light and the well-being of phytoplankton. Anastasia YandulskayaI am a PhD candidate at Northeastern University in Boston. I study regeneration of the nervous system in water salamanders […]
Fish and Fecal Figs: How does the size of one fish affect fig seed growth?
Let’s think of well-known relationships between two different species. Sharks and remoras, hippos and small birds, and….fish and fig seeds? How does one species of fish help fig trees to grow, and how is this plant growth affected by the growth of the fish themselves? Francesca GiammonaI am a PhD candidate at Wake Forest University, […]
Upside-down jellies fire stinging grenades
Swimmers of Florida waters report incidences of being stung by the water! The authors set out to determine the cause. Brandy BiggarI am a 2nd year Master’s student at the Memorial University of Newfoundland. I am researching the highly invasive species the European green crab, and the impact extreme weather events has on its population […]
How does mercury end up in our seafood? (Guest Post by Patricia Myer)
This is a guest post by Patricia Myer. Patricia is a third-year Chemical Oceanography PhD student at the University of Connecticut. She received her BA in Environmental Science from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 2017. Her current research is focused on the environmental factors affecting bioaccumulation of methylmercury into plankton. Diana FontaineI am a PhD student […]
Oh where, oh where can micro-organisms be?
Does the width of 10 strands of human hair matter compared to the size of an entire ocean? A new study shows how small distinctions in body-size amongst micro-organisms is the difference between occupying whole ocean basins and just sub-regions. Gabrielle StedmanI am currently a 3rd year PhD student in Biological Oceanography at the University […]
Consider the marsh crab: Climate change shifts which species are key
Munching, nibbling and burrowing their way through life, the humble marsh crab can now add “keystone species” to its ecological resume. As sea level rise has inundated shorelines on the East Coast of the United States, marsh crabs have emerged as important players in shaping how marshes respond to climate change. Kristin HuizengaI am a […]
Sneeze, Cough, Chuff: Respiratory Irritation in Dolphins
We all know what it’s like to get sick and have that irritating cough that just doesn’t seem to go away. Well, what about when you’re a marine mammal that doesn’t breathe through a mouth? Dolphins breathe air through their blowhole which is located on the top of their head. What is interesting though is […]
Stop Clowning Around: Cyanide Fishing in the Indo-Pacific
What does cyanide have to do with the tropical reef fish sold as pets and showcased in aquariums? A recent paper by Madeira et al. explore how illegal cyanide fishing is devastating Indo-Pacific reef ecosystems. Ashley MickensI recently graduated with a degree in Environmental Earth Science and Sustainability from Miami University of Ohio, and I’m […]
Antarctic Sea Ice – What do Adélie Penguins have to do with it?
In light of global climate change and warming ocean waters, is there any good news? Turns out some Antarctic penguins will benefit in the short term with less sea-ice cover. Samantha SettaI’m a PhD student in the Rynearson Lab at the University of Rhode Island (URI) Graduate School of Oceanography (GSO). My research interests are […]
Making Animals Comfortable In Their (Marine) Skin
The future of marine animal tracking could be a new flexible, stretchable, and ultra-lightweight technology called the “Marine Skin”. Emily ChuaI am a Ph.D. candidate at Boston University where I am developing an underwater instrument to study the coastal ocean. I have a multi-disciplinary background in physics and oceanography (and some engineering), and my academic […]
by oceanbites 1 day ago
Leveling up - did you know that crabs have a larval phase? These are both porcelain crabs, but the one on the right is the earlier stage. It’s massive spine makes it both difficult to eat and quite conspicuous in- by oceanbites 1 week ago
This week for #WriterWednesday on #Oceanbites we are featuring Cierra Braga. Cierra works ultraviolet c (UVC) to discover how this light can be used to combat biofouling, or the growth of living things, on the hulls of ships. Here, you - by oceanbites 2 weeks ago
This week for #WriterWednesday at #Oceanbites we are featuring Elena Gadoutsis @haysailor These photos feature her “favorite marine research so far: From surveying tropical coral reefs, photographing dolphins and whales, and growing my own algae to expose it to different - by oceanbites 1 month ago
This week for #WriterWednesday on Oceanbites we are featuring Eliza Oldach. According to Ellie, “I study coastal communities, and try to understand the policies and decisions and interactions and adaptations that communities use to navigate an ever-changing world. Most of - by oceanbites 1 month ago
This week for #WriterWednesday at #Oceanbites we are featuring Jiwoon Park with a little photographic help from Ryan Tabata at the University of Hawaii. When asked about her research, Jiwoon wrote “Just like we need vitamins and minerals to stay - by oceanbites 2 months ago
This week for #WriterWednesday on #Oceanbites we are featuring @riley_henning According to Riley, ”I am interested in studying small things that make a big impact in the ocean. Right now for my master's research at the University of San Diego, - by oceanbites 2 months ago
This week for #WriterWednesday at #Oceanbites we are featuring Gabby Stedman. Gabby is interested in interested in understanding how many species of small-bodied animals there are in the deep-sea and where they live so we can better protect them from - by oceanbites 2 months ago
This week for #WriterWednesday at #Oceanbites we are featuring Shawn Wang! Shawn is “an oceanographer that studies ocean conditions of the past. I use everything from microfossils to complex computer models to understand how climate has changed in the past - by oceanbites 2 months ago
Today we are highlighting some of our awesome new authors for #WriterWednesday Today we have Daniel Speer! He says, “I am driven to investigate the interface of biology, chemistry, and physics, asking questions about how organisms or biological systems respond - by oceanbites 3 months ago
Here at Oceanbites we love long-term datasets. So much happens in the ocean that sometimes it can be hard to tell if a trend is a part of a natural cycle or actually an anomaly, but as we gather more - by oceanbites 4 months ago
Have you ever seen a lobster molt? Because lobsters have exoskeletons, every time they grow they have to climb out of their old shell, leaving them soft and vulnerable for a few days until their new shell hardens. Young, small - by oceanbites 4 months ago
A lot of zooplankton are translucent, making it much easier to hide from predators. This juvenile mantis shrimp was almost impossible to spot floating in the water, but under a dissecting scope it’s features really come into view. See the - by oceanbites 4 months ago
This is a clump of Dead Man’s Fingers, scientific name Codium fragile. It’s native to the Pacific Ocean and is invasive where I found it on the east coast of the US. It’s a bit velvety, and the coolest thing - by oceanbites 5 months ago
You’ve probably heard of jellyfish, but have you heard of salps? These gelatinous sea creatures band together to form long chains, but they can also fall apart and will wash up onshore like tiny gemstones that squish. Have you seen - by oceanbites 6 months ago
Check out what’s happening on a cool summer research cruise! On the #neslter summer transect cruise, we deployed a tow sled called the In Situ Icthyoplankton Imaging System. This can take pictures of gelatinous zooplankton (like jellyfish) that would be - by oceanbites 6 months ago
Did you know horseshoe crabs have more than just two eyes? In these juveniles you can see another set in the middle of the shell. Check out our website to learn about some awesome horseshoe crab research. #oceanbites #plankton #horseshoecrabs - by oceanbites 7 months ago
Feeling a bit flattened by the week? So are these summer flounder larvae. Fun fact: flounder larvae start out with their eyes set like normal fish, but as they grow one of their eyes migrates to meet the other and - by oceanbites 7 months ago
Have you seen a remote working setup like this? This is a photo from one of our Oceanbites team members Anne Hartwell. “A view from inside the control can of an underwater robot we used to explore the deep parts - by oceanbites 8 months ago
Today is the day of #shutdownacademia and #shutdownstem and many of us at the Oceanbites team are taking the day to plan solid actions for how we can make our organization and the institutions we work at a better place - by oceanbites 8 months ago
Black lives matter. The recent murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd have once again brought to light the racism in our country. All of us at Oceanbites stand with our Black colleagues, friends, readers, and family. The
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