Coral
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 […]
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 […]
Of rain and reefs: Future downpours in French Polynesia could change the coast
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 […]
Predicting the future of coral reefs is complicated by human impacts
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 […]
Ocean acidification: The lesser known CO2 Problem
You have heard about global warming due to increased atmospheric carbon dioxide but did you know that it also affects oceans globally! Read on to learn more. Tejashree ModakCurrently, I am a postdoctoral research fellow in URI. Broadly, I study response of marine species to various stressors such as disease and environmental factors. My research […]
Volcanoes and Climate: A Not-So-Explosive Relationship
Reviewing: Dee, Sylvia G., et al. “No consistent ENSO response to volcanic forcing over the last millennium.” Science 367.6485 (2020): 1477-1481. Introduction When you hear the term El Nino, you may recall that it has something to do with rainfall in the Southwest or droughts in Australia but did you know that the El Nino […]
A Fishy Ally to Help Coral Reefs
What if we had something on the inside to help us fight climate change’s impacts on coral reefs? A helpful ally which could increase coral bleaching tolerance and boost post-bleaching recovery in the field and in real time? As it turns out, we do: damselfish. Rishya NarayananRishya is a multimedia science communicator with an MS […]
In an Uncertain Future, How Might Corals Survive?
Scleractinian corals form the framework for reef ecosystems but are increasingly threatened. By looking at the coral fossil record, scientists are beginning to understand how corals have survived in the past, and what will happen to them in the future. Elena GadoutsisI have always been happiest in nature – exploring forests, traveling to the ocean, […]
Renewed hope for reef-building corals to combat climate change.
If you have ever had a chance to snorkel in a reef, you would agree that it is an unforgettable experience. Its special mainly because of the colorful corals and the diverse life forms they support. But corals around the world are being hit hard from effects of warming ocean temperatures and ocean acidification. Corals […]
Slowing a Thorny Invasion – Managing for COTS with DNA
Crown-of-Thorns Starfish are a natural scourge on coral reefs… or are they? The cycle of outbreaks is cruel, since it tends to focus on areas that have been spared bleaching. What eats a COTS anyway? Can we harness natural predators to minimize the impacts of these coral-eaters? One team is trying.
Climate-driven events leave an imprint on corals in the Great Barrier Reef
In this re-post, we discuss the ecological memory of corals from bleaching events that occurred back-to-back in 2016 and 2017. With this pattern repeating itself in 2020, has mass bleaching become a near-annual event? Nyla HusainI’m a PhD student at the University of Rhode Island’s Graduate School of Oceanography. I use a small-scale computer model […]
Blue Coral with a Not-So-Blue Future
Before this genetics study, we only knew of one extant octocoral species producing a massive skeleton. Not only does Iguchi’s study reveal speciation in blue coral, but it also suggests potential thermal resilience. Constance SartorConstance is a graduate student at the University of Guam studying coral genetics. She also paints murals integrating art and science […]
Of Wildfires and Oceans
Wildfires are all over the news, from California to Australia, but do these terrestrial events have any impact on ocean ecosystems? Is it possible that wildfires can cause massive coral die-off across reefs? A research paper from 2003 provides some insight into these questions, and points to a need for more studies on the links […]
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 […]
3D Printing Can Help Coral Environments, Here’s How.
In the face of mass bleaching and other anthropogenic stressors, researchers and scientists alike have been working on ways to both bolster coral reef growth and study coral reef environments without disrupting them – and 3D printing coral structures has been one technique used to do so. However, before the use of 3D models in […]
Can Coral Reefs Strangled By Algae Recover?
“Experimental support for alternative attractors on coral reefs”, Russell J. Schmitt, Sally J. Holbrook, Samantha L. Davis, Andrew J.Brooks, Thomas C. Adam, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Mar 2019, 116 (10) 4372-4381; DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1812412116 This article was reposted from March 2019. Why Too Much Algae Hurts Coral Reefs Coral wages a constant battle against algae for space and dominance. On a healthy coral reef, it’s a battle […]
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 […]
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 a multimedia science communicator with an MS in Media Advocacy from […]
2+ Ocean Exploration Expeditions to Join This Year
Ninety-five percent of the ocean is unexplored, but there a few ocean expeditions happening this year that you can join! How? You can explore alongside scientists in real time. Read more to find out! Megan ChenI graduated with a Masters of Coastal & Marine Management from the University of Akureyri in Iceland, and am currently […]
by oceanbites 3 hours ago
Happy Earth Day! Take some time today to do something for the planet and appreciate the ocean, which covers 71% of the Earth’s surface. #EarthDay #OceanAppreciation #Oceanbites #CoastalVibes #CoastalRI- by oceanbites 4 weeks ago
Not all outdoor science is fieldwork. Some of the best days in the lab can be setting up experiments, especially when you get to do it outdoors. It’s an exciting mix of problem solving, precision, preparation, and teamwork. Here is - by oceanbites 2 months 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 3 months 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 3 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 3 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 4 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 4 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 4 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 5 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 5 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 5 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 5 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 6 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 7 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 7 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 7 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 8 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 9 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 9 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
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