oceanbites

Ecology

Has eelgrass already adapted to warmer waters?

A study of eelgrass adaptive capacity indicates that they may be resilient to rising ocean temperatures.

Conservation

Good News for Green Turtles: 50 years of conservation gives huge boost to nesting population.

After fifty years of conservation, the green turtle population on the island of Aldabra has increased dramatically.

Does increasing ocean acidification mean sharks need a trip to the dentist?

How does ocean acidification affect shark teeth?

Ocean Acidification

A story of sacrifice in the deep sea

A recent study finds that certain seashells dissolve themselves to preserve their shelled siblings, with implications for Earth’s climate.

ocean engineering

Clouds, Marine Satellite Data, and Algorithms

Stock, A.; Subramaniam, A.; Van Dijken, G.L.; Wedding, L.M.; Arrigo, K.R.; Mills, M.M.; Cameron, M.A.; Micheli, F. Comparison of Cloud-Filling…

Behavior

Wandering Whales: How Mothers and Their Calves Communicate

The ocean is a dangerous place for whale mothers and calves. How do they communicate when trying to covertly travel?

deep sea

The deep-sea paradox: a vast desert-like habitat teeming with microscopic diversity

Animals smaller than a grain of sand dominate the diversity on Earth, especially in the world’s largest biome: the deep…

Biogeochemistry

Deep seafloor microbes are active at extreme temperatures

Researchers have discovered bacteria that redefine the temperature limit for sediment life.

Biology

Can octopuses see with their skin?

Octopuses can sense light with their skin and this ties directly into their ability to change colors!

Human impacts Plastic Pollution

Can citizen science improve marine debris monitoring efforts?

Public cleanup efforts should be useful for monitoring debris on our coastlines, but these efforts can lead to low-quality data…

technology

Algal Automata

Unlike fictional cyborgs, this unlikely robot is powered by a biological process millions of years old. Reference: Phillips, N., Draper,…

Coastal Management

The intersecting issues of climate change and human-wildlife conflict

We have strategies to reduce human-wildlife conflict, but how are they holding up as conditions change?

Coastal Management

Mapping humanity’s impact on the coastal regions of the world

Pristine coastal regions are now rare and almost half of all coastlines are threatened by high levels of human pressure.

Atmospheric Science Biogeochemistry Biological oceanography

Forest fires: Can oceans help?

In a recent study, it was found that the aerosols released from recent Australian forest fires (September 2019-March 2020) fertilized…

Climate Change Seagrass

Can we forecast oceanic habitat changes in a transferrable way?

Folmer et al., 2016. E.O. Folmer, J.E.E. van Beusekom, T. Dolch, U. Gräwe, M.M. van Katwijk, K. Kolbe, C.J.M. Philippart.…

Evolution

Thanks to this newly discovered tissue baleen whales can eat by the thousands

Scientists found a unique tissue that prevents water from entering whales’ lungs

Human Health Seafood

The gendered effects of mangrove destruction

Shrimp aquaculture is changing coastal ecosystems as well as the lives and gender norms of those living at the interface.

Conservation

A Place for Orcas to Call Home

Orcas face increasing threats from human related activities and marine noise pollution. Is there somewhere quiet they can call home?

Behavior

Devastating Depredation: When sharks eat anglers’ catches

Many people can imagine shark-related dangers to humans, but for anglers, a shark simply eating fish can be a threat.