Adaptation
Turning Knowledge into Action: How the Town of Truro Adapted to Increasing Flood Risk Under Climate Change
Global sea level is projected to rise at a rate of 3.7mm/year throughout the first half of the next century, according to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPPC). As coastal communities around the world brace to meet this worrying projection, it’s become clear that many simply have no options […]
The ongoing story of Hurricane Harvey
With the start of the 2018 hurricane season, we explore what happened last year during one of the costliest hurricanes in U.S. history – and why. Nyla HusainI’m a PhD student at the University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography. I use models to study how small-scale physical processes at the air-sea interface – […]
Pteropods are Ptough: How one of the ocean’s most fragile creatures may cope with climate change
Climate change, due to the increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide from fossil fuel burning, is arguably the most important issue facing our planet. One of the most detrimental changes already in progress is the shifting pH of the world’s oceans, known as ocean acidification. Although the speed with which the planet is changing does not […]
Solstice Strategies for Survival: Yule be amazed!
Winter blues got ya down? For some organisms on our planet, the shortened days may influence their very survival. On this, the shortest day of the year for the Northern Hemisphere, read on to find out how one type of tiny marine algae cope with the low-light conditions, and may even thrive compared to their […]
Clamate Change: How clams may be able to cope with a warming world
Global temperatures are increasing at a rate never before seen in Earth’s history. Although efforts to mitigate this are still very important, it is also important to study and understand what is going to happen to the plants and animals that live here. Evidence of climate change already surrounds us, and the more we know, […]
Evolution of the opercle: changing bones reflect marine/freshwater divide
The shift from marine to freshwater habitat is a drastic one, and many evolutionary changes accompany it. This article focuses on the evolution of the opercle, a bony outer structure that protects the gills in most fish species. Dina NavonI am a doctoral candidate in the Organismic and Evolutionary Biology program at the University of […]
If You Must, Adjust? Polar Bears Leaving Sea Ice in the Arctic
Everyone knows that polar bears have become the poster children for species threatened by climate change. And it’s for good reason that they are. Polar bears rely on sea ice for access to prey, finding mates, and creating dens. The persistence of the species depends on the state of sea-ice and more generally a healthy […]
Inked and Eaten: how squid have adapted a defense mechanism to help them capture prey
Just when we thought squids couldn’t get any cooler, researchers have discovered that squid use ink clouds not just to help them escape from predators, but to be predators themselves! Read on to find out how. Gordon OberPostdoctoral Researcher, Claremont McKenna College I am currently a postdoc at Keck Sciences, Claremont McKenna College. I work […]
Warming up to climate change
Are you a fish that can’t cope with warming oceans? Don’t hesitate, acclimate! Scientists have found if fish have the chance to acclimate to warmer temperatures they may be better off in the future. Gordon OberPostdoctoral Researcher, Claremont McKenna College I am currently a postdoc at Keck Sciences, Claremont McKenna College. I work with Dr. […]
The Sting of Sex: odd mating adaptations of box jellyfish
It might be hard for a box jellyfish to buy into the old adage “sex sells,” especially when their gonads are laced with stinging cells. This is just one bizarre adaptation in these organisms, read on to find out more! Gordon OberPostdoctoral Researcher, Claremont McKenna College I am currently a postdoc at Keck Sciences, Claremont […]
Same species, different genes: temperature tolerance and body size in the genes of the Chinook salmon
To understand how species may cope with climate change we must look into their genes. Do individuals have different levels of tolerance to high temperature? What can genes tell us about it? Catarina SilvaHi! I am a PhD candidate at Victoria University of Wellington. I study the genetic structure of organisms and how the environment […]
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