While some corals inherit their algae from their parents, the majority gain their algae over time. How do corals gain their symbiotic algae from the environment is still a mystery. A new study published in the journal PLOS ONE found one way in which corals gain their symbiotic algae – via giant clam poop. Pablo […]
Have you ever wondered about how marine animals travel to a new place, you know, when they can’t swim there? Phorcus sauciatus, a marine top snail, doesn’t swim around like a fish. As an adult, this snail’s only method of movement is by crawling around on a surface with its foot. So how does this […]
Below the surface, the oceans are getting louder. Will this have an impact on our marine animals? A group of researchers gather the facts on how sound is changing our world. Elena GadoutsisI have always been happiest in nature – exploring forests, traveling to the ocean, or working with wildlife. After obtaining my MSc in Marine […]
In the last couple of decades we’ve learned a lot about the decline of coral reefs around the world. But there are still many unknowns. Scientists just discovered one of the constraints that prevent coral recovery after a bleaching event. Pablo Brenes CotoHello! I am a science communicator who loves sharing stories about the ocean. […]
Marine heat waves are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change, and can have negative effects on invertebrate spawning success. Hannah CollinsI’m a second year Masters student in Oceanography at the University of Connecticut, Avery Point. My current research interests involve microplastics and their effects on marine suspension feeding bivalves, and biological solutions […]
There is variation within species, and this variation can lead to some individuals surviving better in the face of environmental change. But it is difficult to predict how animals will respond to an environment that is changing faster than they can evolve. Luckily, some scientists found a clever way to study how individuals might respond […]
Researchers find evidence that a small region in warm waters in the western Pacific could have played a big role in the global warming trend we have been observing. 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 methods […]
For decades now scientists have been fascinated by polynyas, holes that appear in the polar sea ice whose causes are still unclear. Recent data from robots that recorded two of these cavities opening sheds light into how they are formed. Shawn WangI am a PhD student studying climate physics and marine geology at MIT and […]
This week is #BlackInMarineScience week and here at Oceanbites we’re featuring the work of Black scientists all week long! Today’s post is featuring work done by Dr. Ayana Johnson on coral reefs and how best to manage them under changing ocean conditions. Read on to learn a bit about Dr. Johnson and her research. Diana […]
In many ways, coral reefs are the Goldilocks of the ocean. But as climate change shifts conditions near many of the planet’s reefs, finding “just right” may be increasingly difficult. Researchers at UCLA set out to explore how one expected outcome of climate change, extreme rainfall events, may impact coral reefs in the future. Kristin […]
A sediment record from a lake in northern Canada is being used to reconstruct Atlantic Ocean temperatures at a resolution never achieved before. 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 methods and climate models to study periods […]
Coral reefs are often referred to as the “rainforests of the sea” for hosting a great diversity of life, but this incredibly productive ecosystem is seriously threatened by human activities. To better evaluate changes happening in the reef communities and develop strategies to mitigate damages done to coral reefs, understanding how human activities affect our […]
In the Bible, the story of Noah’s Ark describes a storm so intense and so long that the earth is covered in water, killing all except those protected in a massive boat. Today, coral scientists are proposing their own “Noah’s Ark,” but this time the relentless storm is climate change. Kristin HuizengaI am a PhD […]
Glaciers are sentinels of global change, yet there is still much to be learned about how glaciers melt, and in turn, how melting glaciers interact with the surrounding water. Read on to find out how scientists are working to understand how glacial meltwater forms fountains that change the surrounding water. Katherine BarrettKate received her Ph.D. […]
By looking at DNA and fossils of pelagic sea snails, Dr. Peijnenburg and colleagues are beginning to understand how this group has withstood past climate change, and how they may survive current ocean acidification. Gabrielle StedmanI am currently a 3rd year PhD student in Biological Oceanography at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa. I use […]
The frequency at which tiny, hair-like structures on gills called cilia beat back and forth reveals how blue mussels respond to environmental pressures caused by climate change. Rishya NarayananRishya is a multimedia science communicator with an MS in Media Advocacy from Northeastern University, specializing in Environmental Science Communications and Policy. She spent a year in […]
Coral reefs are under threat due to a warming climate. Learn about a technologically-savvy new way to counteract the effects of these warmer temperatures: Artificial Upwelling systems. Amanda SemlerI’m a PhD candidate in Earth System Science at Stanford University, and I study how microbes in deep ocean sediments produce and consume greenhouse gases. I’m a […]
Andria Miller is a rising senior at Jackson State University, majoring in Biology and minoring in Chemistry. This summer she worked remotely with Susanne Menden-Due and Pierre Marrec through the URI GSO Summer Undergraduate Research program. Plankton are a community of organisms that provide basic fuel for marine and freshwater ecosystems. Freshwater ecosystems, such as […]
The Arctic is experiencing dramatic changes in sea ice. How will this warming affect the marine life? Scientists find there may be an increasing threat to the already endangered bowhead whale. What it is may surprise you. Elena GadoutsisI have always been happiest in nature – exploring forests, traveling to the ocean, or working with […]
Scientists revisit the question of global temperatures during the last ice age. They tackle this with state of the art climate models and geochemistry to give a picture that’s more accurate than ever before. Shawn WangI am a PhD student studying climate physics and marine geology at MIT and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. I am […]