Plastic
Chemicals released from plastic disrupt marine microbes
We know how plastic pieces affect ocean life, but do we think enough about “invisible” chemicals from plastic?
Tag: biodiversity
Microbiology
Larger than life- largest bacteria discovered in salt marsh
Scientists found the largest bacteria ever discovered, 50x larger than the previous record, in a tropical mangrove forest in Guadeloupe.
deep sea
Taking a long, hard look at a classic deep-sea theory
Diversity is lower where there is less food: a fundamental deep-sea ecology theory. Is this true everywhere in the deep…
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…
Microbiology
The more (food) the merrier (polar marine fungi)
Ever considered foraging for fungi in the Antarctic? What about in Antarctic waters? Dr. Barone and scientists discover deep-sea benthic…
Biodiversity
Will coral reef biodiversity persevere through climate change?
New research from Hawaii indicates that there may be more hope for coral reefs than previously thought.
Conservation
Going for gold: Earth’s marvelous record holders
In the spirit of the Olympics, join us for a celebration of the ocean’s most impressive inhabitants and a reflection…
Ecology
A mysterious, 19 million years ago mass extinction of sharks
Citation: Sibert, E. C., & Rubin, L. D. (2021). An early Miocene extinction in pelagic sharks. Science, 372(6546), 1105-1107. 10.1126/science.aaz3549 Fossilized remains…
Biodiversity
To Combat World Hunger, Protect Biodiversity
Variety is the spice of life – or if you are an ecologist you might say “biodiversity” is the spice…
Ecology
Scientists set sail to survey the ocean’s plankton diversity
If you gaze into the ocean, or a lake or stream, you may be surprised at the abundance and variety…
Human impacts
Are marine mammals susceptible to COVID-19?
Humans aren't the only ones susceptible to COVID-19 and as the virus continues to spread, concern for wildlife is growing.
Biology
Under pressure: Amphipod uses aluminum to survive in the deep sea
Crushing pressures and freezing temperatures prevent many animals from surviving in the deepest depths of our oceans; yet, somehow, a…
deep sea
Oil and Gas Seeps: Microbial Elevators through Ocean Sediments
Many microorganisms live in ocean sediments – both at the seafloor, as well as in the subsurface hundreds to thousands…
Aquaculture Biodiversity Conservation Ecology Fisheries
Increasing Warming causes Ecosystem Change along the Northeastern Shelf
Are the tropics coming to the Northeast coast of the US? Freidland and his team seem to think so. A…
Biodiversity
If the benthos could talk: the value of long-term biodiversity monitoring
The tiny critters that burrow, swim, and graze in the benthic (bottom) habitats of marine ecosystems are often monitored over…
Book Review Climate Change
Antarctica’s growing green space
As the planet warms, Antarctic land ice is retreating rapidly in some regions, and along with this, small pockets of…
deep sea Ecology
How Much Wood Can A Wood Boring Clam Bore?
How much wood could a wood boring clam bore if a wood boring clam was given a lot of different…
Coastal Management
Rip Rap Sill: The Best of Both Worlds
The hybrid shoreline stabilization method called rip rap sill combines rock structures with native vegetation. This study found that fish…
Book Reviews Science Communication
Deep Blue Reads: The Sixth Extinction, by Elizabeth Kolbert
As a novelist writing about oceanography, I spend a decent amount of time parsing scientific studies. Over the past several…
Biology Geology
Determining marine bird distribution in Glacier Bay, Alaska using fine spatial-scale hydrographic modeling
Researchers in Glacier Bay surveyed fifteen species of marine birds and linked the observations to instantaneous measurements of current speed…