coral reefs
Monitoring the benthos by listening to photosynthesis
Even though the benthos is a largely unseen energy base for marine food webs, scientists are listening to benthic habitats as a novel way to monitor ecosystem health. Read on to learn about how acoustics can capture sounds produced by benthic algae. Katherine BarrettKate is a 2nd year PhD student in the Biological Sciences Department […]
Lost in the sound: coral planulae habitat selection affected by boat noise
It can be hard to cut through the noises that surround us and focus on the task in front of us, right? This may not just be a human problem. Noise pollution may be another way human activity is negatively affecting corals. Rebecca FlynnI am a graduate of the University of Notre Dame (B.S.) and […]
Stuck in the middle with you: The trophic ecology of Caribbean reef sharks and large teleost coral reef predators
We often think of sharks as the top of the ocean food web, chowing down on seals and big fish to their heart’s content. That is often not the case! Where does the Caribbean reef shark fall in this hierarchy? Let’s find out. Grace CasselberryI am currently a Marine Science and Technology Doctoral student at […]
Scaredy Fish: How Timid Fish Could Skew Research
Divers have long suspected that some fish are more afraid of people than others. A recent study has shown that certain groups of fish will actually hide for hours after a diver has passed through a reef. This has important implications for the future of coral reef surveys and the way we study species diversity. […]
We need reefs. Can we make some?
Do artificial reefs work to promote biodiversity? Check out this summary of work from the Mediterranean Sea to find out more! Sandra SchleierHola mi nombre es Sandra Schleier. Soy graduada de la Universidad de Rhode Island con una Maestría enfocada en la restauración de corales en el Caribe. Actualmente soy la traductora del inglés al […]
The Coral Dilemma: Is Hybridization the Key?
Coral: a mineral, plant, and animal all in one (oh my!) Unfortunately, coral is in danger- and the many reefs which support a wide variety of organisms (including humans) are rapidly dying. Does interspecific hybridization hold the key to our coral dilemma? Rishya NarayananRishya is pursuing an M.S. in Environmental Science Communications and Media Advocacy at […]
Going viral: relationships between coral reef health and viruses
What organisms live in coral reefs? Corals (obviously), fish, snorkeling tourists…but some of the most important members we can’t even see with the naked eye, and some argue aren’t even alive! In this post we explore the role of viruses in coral reefs, and what we do – and don’t – know about coral-virus interactions. […]
Corals get their auras read
Corals, depending on dominant cover type, can influence the microbial community living in the surrounding water. Read on to find out more about the coral aura-biome. Katherine BarrettKate is a 2nd year PhD student in the Biological Sciences Department at the University of Notre Dame, and holds a Masters in Environmental Science & Biology from […]
Invasive seagrass changes fish community in the US Virgin Islands
Seagrass meadows provide food and habitat for a variety of fish species. Juvenile fish are particularly dependent on the meadows, for the shelter they provide from predators. In the Caribbean, several native seagrasses might be found in the same shallow estuary or coastline, forming a patchwork of meadows that support a variety of different fish […]
Wandering copepods can’t find their way home in acidic oceans
Journal source: Smith, J. N., C. Richter, K. Fabricius, and A. Cornils. 2017. Pontellid copepods affected by ocean acidification: A field study at natural CO2 seeps. PLoS ONE 12 doi: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0175663. Introduction Ocean acidification (OA for short) is a topic that seems to be receiving increased attention, and if you’ve scrolled through some recent Oceanbites posts, […]
New Nitrogen in Town: Nitrogen Deposition on the Open Ocean
Life in the ocean depends on a variety of nutrients, an important one being nitrogen. Phytoplankton, at the bottom of the oceanic food chain, require it to photosynthesize. Burning fossil fuels releases nitrogen into the atmosphere, and a portion of it is known to settle into the ocean. Has the ocean started to show signs […]
Small MPAs: the new all-you-can-eat buffets?
Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are a popular conservation tool and are in many situations very effective. Unfortunately, as with many plans, there may be some unintended consequences, as seen in the case of small MPAs in Fiji, where they appear to have attracted corallivorous crown-of-thorns sea stars (Acanthaster spp.). Find out more in today’s oceanbites! […]
Hard Coral or Macroalgae? Coral Reefs May Have Another Option
Most of the time coral reef communities are discussed, it seems the focus is whether they’re dominated by hard coral or algae. It turns out there may be other possible outcomes for reefs in the future. Find out more in today’s oceanbites! Rebecca FlynnI am a graduate of the University of Notre Dame (B.S.) and […]
Warm water curtails sea snakes’ dives
Like frogs, sea snakes can uptake oxygen through both their lungs and their skin. How will these “bimodal breathers” cope with warm ocean temperatures? Brittney G. BorowiecBrittney is a PhD candidate at McMaster University in Hamilton, ON, Canada, and joined Oceanbites in September 2015. Her research focuses on the physiological mechanisms and evolution of the […]
Do coral reefs help fight climate change?
Coral reefs are called the rainforests of the sea for their stunning biodiversity. But can they, like forests on land, absorb CO2 and help reduce global warming? Michael PhilbenI recently completed a PhD in Marine Science at the University of South Carolina and am now a postdoc at Memorial University of Newfoundland. I research the […]
Changing with the environment: how resilient are coral reef fish?
Coral reef fish are some of the most sensitive animals to climate change. How will coral reef fish respond to predicted increases in temperature and carbon dioxide? Do they have the ability to adapt to future conditions or is it already too late? Sean AndersonI am a first year MS candidate at the University of […]
The importance of sea urchins
A look into Valeska’s graduate research. Why coral reefs depend on the long spined black sea urchin for survival. Valeska UphamFor my fisheries and aquatic science PhD I am working on how to tank raise urchins and transplant them onto reefs across the Florida Keys in order to help reverse the phase shift from algae […]
Better Together: Mutualisms contribute to reef fish recruitment
All other things being equal, would you rather live where mutually beneficial relationships are available or where they aren’t? Well, if you’re like me, you’d prefer beneficial relationships. And I’m not alone in that. It turns out that damselfish on reefs prefer to settle where there are cleaner wrasses to keep them parasite-free. Read on […]
Wake-up Call: Global Oceans in Big Trouble!
Our global oceans are in a state of crisis. A new report from the WWF paints a bleak picture: human interference has pushed the oceans to the brink of collapse. The health of marine organisms and the habitats they live in have become severely threatened by compounding factors such as pollution, overfishing and increased CO2 […]
The barrels of the sea; giant barrel sponges that is
Giant barrel sponges are understudied compared to many other marine organisms, but that doesn’t make them any less important. Climate change has taken its toll on the Florida Keys coral reefs, but the giant barrel sponge has proven to be a hearty animal, growing in size and population. Valeska UphamFor my fisheries and aquatic science […]
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