Marine Conservation

Throwing Babies out with the Sea Ice: Ringed Seals Response to Ice Decline

As the Earth warms, sea ice declines. What happens to those animals who rely on the ice? Today’s oceanbites looks…

It’s a trap! African penguins impacted by climate change

Young penguins living along the southwestern coast of Africa typically follow cool, nutrient rich water to find food as they…

Behavior Book Review Coastal Management Conservation Coral Ecology Human impacts

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…

Biology

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…

Conservation Ecology Fisheries Hazards Human impacts Plastic Pollution Sea Turtles

Let’s Ghost Fishing for Halloween!

Ghost fishing is ghastly because it creates underwater graveyards for wildlife. The authors covered here wrote a new review of…

Conservation

Do algal blooms kill whales?

Since 2005, southern right whale calves have been found dead in historic numbers off the Patagonian coast in Argentina. Scientists…

Biology Book Review Conservation Fisheries Human impacts

Ancient swimmers: Greenland sharks live for centuries

Using radiocarbon dating, scientists have discovered that the Greenland shark can live longer than any other known vertebrate. How long…

Book Review Conference Conservation Science Communication

Highlights from the International Marine Conservation Congress, Newfoundland, Canada

At the International Marine Conservation Congress this year, I got a first-timer’s look into the world of marine conservation research…

Biology Climate Change

If You Must, Adjust? Polar Bears Leaving Sea Ice in the Arctic

Everyone knows that polar bears have become the poster children for species threatened by climate change. And it’s for good…

Biology

With a little help from my friends: sea turtles hatch together to save energy

Sea turtle hatchlings face long odds when they emerge from their buried nests. But at least they don't have to…

Book Review Coastal Management Conservation Hazards Human impacts Methodology Modeling Plastic Pollution Remote Sensing technology

To I.D. Debris: LIDAR as a tool to identify trash on the beach

Scientists may have a new option for figuring out how much debris litters our beaches and what it all is!…

Human impacts

Go Green for Earth Day!

Do Mother Nature a solid with these helpful tips & tricks to go green today!

Biology Conservation Coral Ecology

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.

Behavior Biology Book Review Conservation Sea Turtles technology

For Sea Turtles, There’s No Place Like Home

Tagline: Sea turtles are occasionally released in locations that are not their home areas. But do they remain there? Find…

Climate Change Coastal Management Conservation Human impacts Seagrass

Seagrass, Disturbance, and the Blue Carbon Cycle

Seagrass beds bury carbon incredibly well! What happens to that carbon when you uproot, plow through, or otherwise disturb seagrasses?…

Conservation Coral Human impacts Noise

Small boats drowning out natural reef noise?

Don’t you hate when noises interfere with your daily activities and conversations? We create lots of noise in the environment…

Behavior Book Review Ecology

Tracking the movements of a heavily fished Fijian shark

The silvertip is a reef shark targeted for its fins. Scientists tagged a Fijian silvertip to learn more about what…

Biology Human impacts

Making potable water safe for the seafloor

SWRO desalinization is a great way to get potable water. Unfortunately its production results in a high salinity low nutrient…

Biology Climate Change Conservation Coral Ecology Human impacts Pollution

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…

Coastal Management Conservation

Taiwan creates “Facebook” for sea turtles!

Photo ID databases have been used to estimate population sizes for zebras, cheetahs, whales, sharks dolphins, turtles and more. This…