reproduction

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

By Rebecca Flynn ⋅ March 19, 2017 ⋅ 3 comments

As the Earth warms, sea ice declines. What happens to those animals who rely on the ice? Today’s oceanbites looks at one animal, the ringed seal, and how it may be affected by climate change! Rebecca FlynnI am a graduate of the University of Notre Dame (B.S.) and the University of Rhode Island (M.S.). I […]

What killer whales tell us about menopause

By Brittney G. Borowiec ⋅ February 7, 2017 ⋅ Post a comment

Killer whales, or orcas (Orcinus orca), are amazingly intelligent and social animals. What can they tell us about the evolution of menopause? 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 respiratory and […]

Plant Parents: Divide, Seed, and Conquer

By Kari St.Laurent ⋅ May 6, 2016 ⋅ Post a comment

Phragmites is the ultimate parent in terms of reproductive success, allowing it to increase in area by 25% since 1971 in the Rhode River subestuary. While phragmites can spread asexually through rhizome clones, seed dispersion requiring two parents was the most successful tactic found in this study. Kari St.LaurentI received a Ph.D. in oceanography in […]

What makes a male squid put in reproductive effort?

By Sarah Giltz ⋅ April 27, 2016 ⋅ Post a comment

Male squid can vary the effort they put into each mating event. Find out what type of female makes the males put in the most energy. Sarah GiltzI am a doctoral candidate in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Tulane University. My research focuses on the larval dispersal and development of the blue crab in the […]

The Mystery of the Virgin Birth

By Ashley Marranzino ⋅ March 4, 2016 ⋅ Post a comment

A female eagle ray gives birth to two female pups. But she has been housed in a tank without any sexually mature males. Is it a miracle or is there some logical explanation? Ashley MarranzinoI received my Master’s degree from the University of Rhode Island where I studied the sensory biology of deep-sea fishes. I […]

Sea of Love: Hermaphroditic fishes

By Ashley Marranzino ⋅ February 11, 2016 ⋅ 2 comments

Finding a date on Valentine’s Day can be hard! Whether you are single or in a relationship, we are trying to make your week a little brighter by sharing some tales of romance from the ocean. Today we will look at the answer some fishes have found for not being able to find a suitable […]

The Sting of Sex: odd mating adaptations of box jellyfish

By Gordon Ober ⋅ September 3, 2015 ⋅ Post a comment

It might be hard for a box jellyfish to buy into the old adage “sex sells,” especially when their gonads are laced with stinging cells. This is just one bizarre adaptation in these organisms, read on to find out more! Gordon OberPostdoctoral Researcher, Claremont McKenna College I am currently a postdoc at Keck Sciences, Claremont […]

Can sperm cells make it in an acidified ocean?

By Erin McLean ⋅ May 6, 2015 ⋅ Post a comment

Researchers in Australia investigated whether sea urchin sperm are going to make it through an acidified ocean or if they’ve reached their tipping point. Read on to learn more! Erin McLeanHi and welcome to oceanbites! I recently finished my master’s degree at URI, focusing on lobsters and how they respond metabolically to ocean acidification projections. […]