Conservation
Giant clams share symbiotic algae with corals via poop
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 […]
Understanding the Demise and Recovery of Coral Reefs
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. […]
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. Julia ZehI am a PhD candidate at Syracuse University studying marine mammal communication. My research focuses on analyzing underwater recordings of whale calls in order to better understand whale behavior. I’m also interested in education, […]
Fisheries, Food and the Future
As we approach 2021, the idea of “the future” seems closer than ever before. In a recent article, Cabral and his team propose a futuristic network of marine protected areas to help meet the challenges of a rapidly changing world. Ashley MickensI recently graduated with a degree in Environmental Earth Science and Sustainability from Miami […]
To fish or to dive?: A case study of fisher and diver perceptions of coral reef management
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 […]
Don’t get ~tide~ down: Are biodegradable nets a good solution to the ghost fishing problem?
Biodegradable nets are a potential solution to the ghost fishing problem-or the phenomenon of lost fishing nets still catching animals. However, are they as efficient as conventional plastic polymer nets? 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 […]
Two by two includes corals too? Researchers call for a coral “Noah’s Ark”
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 […]
Holistic management: the vital role of Indigenous Peoples in conservation on the high seas
This Indigenous Peoples’ Day, consider the role of indigenous and local communities in marine conservation and policy. International governing bodies need to work to include Indigenous peoples and their holistic management practices as part of important discussions on how to conserve marine biodiversity on the high seas. Julia ZehI am a PhD candidate at Syracuse […]
The Age-Old Question about Sea Turtles
There’s a lot that science has taught us about sea turtles – but we still don’t know how old these marvelous marine reptiles can get. A team of scientists turn to genetics to predict the answer. Rishya NarayananRishya is a multimedia science communicator with an MS in Media Advocacy from Northeastern University, specializing in Environmental […]
Peace for Coral Reefs
As the world has learned over the past several months, a little solitude goes a long way towards a healthy life. What if coral reefs need time away from humans to be able to live their best lives? Coral reefs, often called the rainforests of the sea, are known to be marvelous colorful ecosystems that […]
VaquitaCPR: Trying to save the world’s most endangered marine mammal
What do you do when the species you’ve been working to save from extinction is down to fewer than 30 individuals? With only thirty vaquita porpoises left in the entire world, despite years of conservation efforts, emergency action needed to be taken in an effort to save the world’s smallest and most endangered porpoise. Julia […]
Menacing microplastics hamper hermit crab choices
How can little bits of plastic in the ocean impact a hermit crab’s ability to make decisions? Microplastics can be found from the deep sea to the coasts and they can affect everything from animal health to cognition. Julia ZehI am a PhD candidate at Syracuse University studying marine mammal communication. My research focuses on […]
Picture Perfect: Framing the Issues of Marine Conservation
This review article recommends some great SciComm tools for creating engagement surrounding marine conservation issues. Smile for the camera! Ashley MickensI recently graduated with a degree in Environmental Earth Science and Sustainability from Miami University of Ohio, and I’m currently working as a marine mammal observer in the Atlantic. While my undergraduate research focused on […]
How scientists use our nuclear past to understand whale shark life history
To properly conserve and manage species, scientists need to understand how they live, grow, and age. But even figuring that out can be difficult when they are large and elusive, like the whale shark. See how scientists can benefit from more tragic moments in our past and use the legacy of nuclear bomb trials to […]
Let Marine Microbes Be Thy Medicine
The deep sea is a treasure trove of disease-fighting compounds–and is even helping us in the fight against the novel coronavirus. 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 engineering), and […]
Arctic Unicorns: Understanding the past, present, and future of narwhals and their mysterious tusks
Why do narwhals have tusks that make them look like unicorns? As climate change continues, what is the fate of narwhals and their enigmatic tusks? Two recent studies of these unicorns of the sea start to answer questions about their past, present, and future. Julia ZehI am a PhD candidate at Syracuse University studying marine […]
City Marine Parks: The Water Parks of the Future
Did you love going to the water park as a kid? The authors of this paper have come up with a new kind of water park to help improve life in coastal cities and make the most of “blue space.” Ashley MickensI recently graduated with a degree in Environmental Earth Science and Sustainability from Miami […]
A story of success for the Cayman Island’s Nassau Grouper
Nassau Grouper are a historically overfished population in the Caribbean, but after new regulations were implemented in 2003, has the fishery recovered? Waterhouse et al. (2020) sought to answer this question using 15 years of monitoring efforts from the Cayman Islands. Samantha SettaI’m a PhD student in the Rynearson Lab at the University of Rhode […]
Deep Sea: The Final Frontier
With the decade drawing to a close, it is a good time to look toward the future and start thinking about what the next decade holds for scientific discovery. Star Trek has popularized the idea of outer space as “the final frontier.” But what if it’s really the deep sea? Ashley MickensI recently graduated with […]
Ensuring that coral reefs sound like home
What does a coral reef sound like? The answer is more important than you might think. By playing the sounds of a healthy reef over a loudspeaker, scientists were able to attract a variety of baby fish to settle on a degraded reef, results which show how acoustic interventions are a tool that can be […]
by oceanbites 3 days 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 1 month 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 2 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 2 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 2 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 3 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 3 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 3 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 3 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 4 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 4 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 5 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 5 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 6 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 6 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 7 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 7 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 8 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 8 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 - by oceanbites 8 months ago
Have you seen a remote working setup like this? This is a photo from one of our Oceanbites team members Anne Hartwell. “A view from inside the control can of an underwater robot we used to explore the deep parts
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