Book Review
Booming sea cucumber market? It may be a free-for-all, but it’s not good-for-all
Sea cucumber has been having a bit of a culinary moment in China. Chinese demand for this sea critter is high, and coastal communities around the world are harvesting and exporting their stock fast to keep up. Tapping into international markets can mean a windfall for coastal communities— but a recent study argues that you […]
Aquatic predators: Our heroes for climate changing
Aquatic predators or aquatic killers? Aquatic predators are animals that hunt at greater trophic levels, including oceans, bays, estuaries, rivers, streams, lakes, and wetlands. Sharks, crocodiles, and orca whales are good examples of these predators, which are often associated with killing behaviors that scare people all around the world. However, aquatic predators are a fundamental […]
Hands-On Learning
Check out this study testing the ability of octopuses to learn via touch. 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 abundance and distribution.
Hiding at its best: Ultra-black fish of the deep sea
Animals stay hidden from predators using different skin colors and patterns as camouflage. Scientists recently discovered a unique way some fish use ultra-black pigment to hide in the dimly-lit waters of the deep sea. Tejashree ModakCurrently, I am a postdoctoral research fellow in URI. Broadly, I study response of marine species to various stressors such […]
The Indian Ocean Dipole: How Climate Change affects South East Asia and Beyond
Extreme weather patterns in South East Asia and West Africa devastate local communities. Scientists study historical climate of the region to investigate if modern climate change is intensifying these disasters. Shawn WangI am a PhD student studying climate physics and marine geology at MIT and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. I am interested in using geochemical […]
Shipping traffic increases risk of alien invasion
The Research: Sardain, A., Sardain, E. & Leung, B. Global forecasts of shipping traffic and biological invasions to 2050. Nat. Sustain. 2, 274–282 (2019) Global Shipping Network Accounting for more than 80% of world trade, the global shipping network (GSN) is the primary transportation system of goods globally. The GSN is a known contributor […]
SURFO Special: How do we address the massive fluoro-pollutant crisis in the United States?
Every summer, the URI Graduate School of Oceanography hosts undergraduate research interns called SURFOs. In this post learn about how categories of water pollutants could affect regulation and Tobias Kochenderfer’s 2020 SURFO research in the Lohmann Lab. Samantha SettaI’m a PhD student in the Rynearson Lab at the University of Rhode Island (URI) Graduate School […]
Sharks Have Friends Too
Did you know sharks can be social? Researchers track and analyze grey reef sharks around Palmyra Atoll to learn more about how they rely on each other to hunt. 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 […]
Plastic Problems in Marine Pathways
What if I told you that the organisms in the ocean produce half of the oxygen we breathe? Then what if I told you that plastic in the ocean can affect these organisms and other parts of the environment? Pretty crazy right? Read on to learn more about how small plastics in the ocean can […]
Fisheries and Sustainability Certification: Do the benefits outweigh the costs?
What do sustainability certification labels on fish at the market mean? How do these measures impact fishers, industry, and governments? Read on to find out more. 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 focused on human impacts […]
Jellyfish: Future Scientists of the Sea
Is there a way to increase measurements across oceans using a hybrid of robotics and biology? In a recent study, scientists sought to answer this question using jellyfish and an engineered small ‘controller device’. Samantha SettaI’m a PhD student in the Rynearson Lab at the University of Rhode Island (URI) Graduate School of Oceanography (GSO). […]
Coccoliths and Carbon
As the ocean warms and acidification increases, a certain phytoplankton may be more at risk than others. The authors of this paper explore how changes in the Southern Ocean could prevent coccoliths from sequestering carbon and disrupt the marine carbon cycle. Ashley MickensI recently graduated with a degree in Environmental Earth Science and Sustainability from […]
Christmas Tree….. Worms?
‘Tis the season for all things bright, colorful and decorative, and that makes me think of Christmas Tree Worms! Doesn’t everyone want Polychaetes for Hannukah? Just me? Maybe I can convince you.
Barnacles as a Forensic Tool
Barnacles are among the first organisms to colonize hard marine substrates. This means they quickly settle on rocks, ships, or even human remains! Find out how these small crustaceans help forensic investigators solve crimes. Constance SartorConstance is a graduate student at the University of Guam studying coral genetics. She also paints murals integrating art and […]
Sunlight May Stimulate Breakdown of Ocean Plastic
A new study suggests that one form of plastic might not take as long to break down in the ocean as previously thought. 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 […]
Surprise impacts of desalination
The World Heath Organization predicts that by 2025, half of the world’s people will be living in water-stressed areas. Desalination plants make drinkable freshwater from the ocean, but return hypersaline water to bottom-dwelling marine communities. Design changes have mitigated the salinity, but the impacts of these design changes have not been fully tested… until now!
Skin that Sees: Evolution and Mechanism of Phototaxis in Sea Snake Tails
Researchers have discovered light sensing abilities in the tails of sea snakes. This unique adaptation in one genus of snakes may allow them to sense and respond to impending danger. Crowe-Riddell, J. M., Simões, B. F., Partridge, J. C., Hunt, D. M., Delean, S., Schwerdt, J. G., … Sanders, K. L. (2019). Phototactic tails: Evolution and […]
Hijackers within the Sea: Catching a ride across an ocean
Did you know that organisms attached to marine debris can unintentionally cross ocean basins? Read more to learn how the tsunami of 2011 brought Japanese marine organisms to the coast of North America and what this means for the environment. Diana FontaineI am a PhD student in the Rynearson Lab studying Biological Oceanography at the […]
Tips from a workshop on Negotiating
Negotiating is a valuable skillset that many scientists are never formally trained in. This post highlights some of the take away messages from a Strategic Persuasion and Negotiating workshop I attended last week (November 13, 2018). Anne M. HartwellHello, welcome to Oceanbites! My name is Annie, I’m a marine research scientist who has been lucky […]
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 […]
by oceanbites 4 weeks ago
Not all outdoor science is fieldwork. Some of the best days in the lab can be setting up experiments, especially when you get to do it outdoors. It’s an exciting mix of problem solving, precision, preparation, and teamwork. Here is- by oceanbites 2 months ago
Being on a research cruise is a unique experience with the open water, 12-hour working shifts, and close quarters, but there are some familiar practices too. Here Diana is filtering seawater to gather chlorophyll for analysis, the same process on - by oceanbites 3 months ago
This week for #WriterWednesday on #oceanbites we are featuring Hannah Collins @hannahh_irene Hannah works with marine suspension feeding bivalves and microplastics, investigating whether ingesting microplastics causes changes to the gut microbial community or gut tissues. She hopes to keep working - by oceanbites 3 months 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 3 months 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 3 months 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 4 months 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 4 months 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 5 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 5 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 5 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 5 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 6 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 6 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 7 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 7 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 8 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 9 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 9 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 9 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
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