Feature Channels: Marine Science

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29-May-2020 8:10 AM EDT
Disorder in fish shoals may reap rewards at dinner time
University of Bristol

The advantages of animals foraging in an orderly group are well-known, but research by the University of Bristol has found an element of unruly adventure can help fish in the quest for food.

Released: 29-May-2020 2:35 PM EDT
A rising tide of marine disease? How parasites respond to a warming world
University of Washington

A recent study from the University of Washington explores the ways parasitism will respond to climate change, providing researchers new insights into disease transmission. The paper was published May 18 in Trends in Ecology and Evolution.

Released: 29-May-2020 8:00 AM EDT
Lab shutdowns enable speedier investigation of coral disease
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Research labs have shut down around the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but that hasn’t stopped scientists from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) from investigating critical problems in the ocean.

Released: 29-May-2020 6:20 AM EDT
The most common organism in the oceans harbors a virus in its DNA
University of Washington

The most common organism in the world’s oceans — and possibly the whole planet — harbors a virus in its DNA. This virus may have helped it survive and outcompete other organisms.

Released: 27-May-2020 10:35 AM EDT
Fishing less could be a win for both lobstermen and endangered whales
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

A new study by researchers at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) found that New England’s historic lobster fishery may turn a higher profit by operating with less gear in the water and a shorter season.

Released: 22-May-2020 10:55 AM EDT
Sea Turtle Nesting Season in Full Swing, UCF Researchers Keep Working Despite COVID-19
University of Central Florida

While uncertainty reigns for Floridians due to COVID-19, there’s one thing they can count on: sea turtles are nesting on our local beaches as nesting season heads into its fourth month this June.

Released: 22-May-2020 7:20 AM EDT
Journey to uncover mysteries of the Pacific Ocean
National University of Singapore (NUS)

Nine National University of Singapore researchers were part of a team that went on a five-week long voyage to the Pacific Ocean’s Clarion-Clipperton Zone to obtain baseline data on the biodiversity of abyssal polymetallic nodule fields.

Released: 21-May-2020 5:40 PM EDT
New Study Finds That Access to Education and Markets Vital for Coastal Fishing Communities Adapting to a Warming and Changing World
Wildlife Conservation Society

A new study investigating the links between coastal communities and coral reefs in Kenya and Madagascar has found that access to education and markets can help mitigate acute vulnerabilities for communities struggling with poverty and reliant on ecosystems degraded by overfishing.

18-May-2020 9:00 AM EDT
Ancient giant armoured fish fed in a similar way to basking sharks
University of Bristol

Scientists from the University of Bristol and the University of Zurich have shown that the Titanichthys – a giant armoured fish that lived in the seas and oceans of the late Devonian period 380-million-years ago – fed in a similar manner to modern day basking sharks.

Released: 15-May-2020 4:50 PM EDT
Strong Sharing Networks Can Help Communities Rebound From Crises
Wildlife Conservation Society

Of the top five countries in the world most at risk to disasters, three are Pacific Island nations. Yet time and time again, Pacific Islanders exhibit marked abilities to quickly recover. Part of the reason may be due to strong social networks that help to distribute resources to those most in need, say marine scientists from the University of Hawaiʿi, National Geographic Society and WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society) in a new study.

Released: 15-May-2020 2:00 PM EDT
Ocean ‘breathability’ key to past, future habitat of West Coast marine species
University of Washington

Historical observations collected off California since the 1950s suggest that anchovies thrive where the water is breathable — a combination of the oxygen levels in the water and the species’ oxygen needs, which are affected by temperature. Future projections suggest that the waters off Mexico and Southern California could be uninhabitable by 2100.

Released: 15-May-2020 10:05 AM EDT
Ocean explorer and filmmaker James Cameron to host virtual event on Extreme Ocean Machines
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

On May 20, ocean explorer and world-renowned filmmaker James Cameron will host a special edition of Ocean Encounters, a popular virtual event series from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

Released: 13-May-2020 8:30 AM EDT
Can’t Touch This! Video Shows Blacktip Sharks Use Shallow Water to Flee Huge Predators
Florida Atlantic University

Aerial drone footage provides the first evidence of adult blacktip sharks using shallow waters as a refuge from a huge predator – the great hammerhead. Before this study, documentation of adult sharks swimming in shallower waters to avoid predation did not exist. Unmanned aerial vehicles enable scientists to unobtrusively observe behaviors in the wild, providing insight into seldom-seen predator-prey interactions. When it comes to sharks, this “hammerhead” time video proves you “can’t touch this.”

Released: 11-May-2020 2:15 PM EDT
URI appoints NASA scientist to lead Graduate School of Oceanography
University of Rhode Island

KINGSTON, R.I. – MAY 11, 2020 – The University of Rhode has announced the appointment of NASA scientist Paula S. Bontempi as dean of the Graduate School of Oceanography. An alumna of GSO and a biological oceanographer for more than 25 years, Bontempi joins URI from the Earth Science Division, Science Mission Directorate of NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.

Released: 8-May-2020 12:15 PM EDT
Prehistoric sea creatures evolved pebble-shaped teeth to crush shellfish
Field Museum

As bad as things might seem here in 2020, they could be worse: we could be living 252 million years ago during the Permian mass extinction.

Released: 7-May-2020 4:40 PM EDT
Fossil reveals evidence of 200-million-year-old 'squid' attack
University of Plymouth

Scientists have discovered the world's oldest known example of a squid-like creature attacking its prey, in a fossil dating back almost 200 million years.

Released: 6-May-2020 11:40 AM EDT
FSU researchers study Gulf of Mexico in international collaboration
Florida State University

Florida State University and partner universities investigated current baseline conditions in the southern Gulf of Mexico to create a series of maps and guides that detail the distribution of carbon, nitrogen and the carbon-14 isotope.

Released: 1-May-2020 5:40 PM EDT
Pacific oysters in the Salish Sea may not contain as many microplastics as previously thought
University of Washington

University of Washington researchers have discovered that the abundance of tiny microplastic contaminants in Pacific oysters from the Salish Sea is much lower than previously thought.

Released: 1-May-2020 10:40 AM EDT
New Studies to Uncover the Costs of Florida’s Red Tide
Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System-Regional Association (GCOOS-RA)

GCOOS and NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) are funding two new studies designed to uncover the full costs of harmful algal blooms (HABs) across numerous sectors — from tourism and seafood to industries where impacts are less visible, such as healthcare and construction.

30-Apr-2020 4:55 PM EDT
Ocean Acidification Prediction Now Possible Years in Advance
University of Colorado Boulder

CU Boulder researchers have developed a method that could enable scientists to accurately forecast ocean acidity up to five years in advance. This would enable fisheries and communities that depend on seafood negatively affected by ocean acidification to adapt to changing conditions in real time, improving economic and food security in the next few decades.

Released: 29-Apr-2020 3:45 PM EDT
New imaging technique sheds light on adult zebrafish brain
Cornell University

Cornell scientists have developed a new technique for imaging a zebrafish’s brain at all stages of its development, which could have implications for the study of human brain disorders, including autism.

Released: 29-Apr-2020 10:30 AM EDT
Share the Planet: Protecting California’s Wildlife
California State University (CSU) Chancellor's Office

See how the CSU is helping preserve California’s wildlife as threats to their habitats continue to grow.

   
Released: 27-Apr-2020 5:25 PM EDT
Poor Amazonians go hungry despite living in one of the most biodiverse places on Earth
Lancaster University

Poorer rural Amazonians are going hungry despite living in one of the most biodiverse areas on the planet - a new study reveals.

Released: 27-Apr-2020 9:00 AM EDT
Tube Worm Slime Displays Long-Lasting, Self-Powered Glow
Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB)

When threatened, the marine parchment tube worm secretes a sticky slime that emits a unique long-lasting blue light. New research into how the worm creates and sustains this light suggests that the process is self-powered.

Released: 24-Apr-2020 9:45 AM EDT
Climate change’s toll on freshwater fish: A new database for science
University at Buffalo

Researchers, fisheries managers, conservationists, journalists and others can use FiCli to find scientific articles based on factors such as fish species, habitat type, location and type of climate change impact (such as a change in temperature or precipitation). Database: https://ficli.shinyapps.io/database/

Released: 23-Apr-2020 11:05 AM EDT
North Atlantic right whales are in much poorer condition than Southern right whale
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

New research by an international team of scientists reveals that endangered North Atlantic right whales are in much poorer body condition than their counterparts in the southern hemisphere.

21-Apr-2020 2:00 PM EDT
More Protections Needed to Safeguard Biodiversity in the Southern Ocean
University of Colorado Boulder

Current marine protected areas in the Southern Ocean need to be at least doubled to adequately safeguard the biodiversity of the Antarctic, according to a new CU Boulder study.

Released: 20-Apr-2020 2:55 PM EDT
Rising carbon dioxide levels will change marine habitats and fish communities
University of Plymouth

Rising carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and the consequent changes created through ocean acidification will cause severe ecosystem effects, impacting reef-forming habitats and the associated fish, according to new research.

Released: 20-Apr-2020 2:20 PM EDT
Faster-degrading plastic could promise cleaner seas
Cornell University

To address plastic pollution plaguing the world’s seas and waterways, Cornell University chemists have developed a new polymer that can degrade by ultraviolet radiation, according to research published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

20-Apr-2020 8:30 AM EDT
What did scientists learn from Deepwater Horizon?
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

In a review paper published in the journal Nature Reviews Earth & Environment, WHOI marine geochemists Elizabeth Kujawinski and Christopher Reddy review what they— and their science colleagues from around the world—have learned from studying the spill over the past decade.

Released: 14-Apr-2020 6:40 PM EDT
Flamingos form firm friendships
University of Exeter

Flamingos form friendships that last for years, new research shows.

6-Apr-2020 4:40 PM EDT
3D printed corals provide more fertile ground for algae growth
University of California San Diego

Researchers have 3D printed coral-inspired structures that are capable of growing dense populations of microscopic algae. The work could lead to the development of compact, more efficient bioreactors for producing algae-based biofuels, as well as new techniques to repair and restore coral reefs.

7-Apr-2020 12:25 PM EDT
Hidden army: how starfish could build up numbers to attack coral reefs
University of Sydney

The coral-eating crown of thorns starfish that devastate tropical reefs can lie in wait as harmless young herbivores for more than six years while coral populations recover from previous attacks or coral bleaching, new research has shown.

Released: 7-Apr-2020 8:30 AM EDT
Scientists Develop New Way to Identify the Sex of Sea Turtle Hatchlings
Florida Atlantic University

Scientists have developed a new minimally invasive technique that greatly enhances the ability to measure neonate turtle sex ratios. This is the first time that differences in sex-specific protein expression patterns have been identified in blood samples of hatchlings with temperature-dependent sex determination. The technique is a crucial step in assessing the impact of climate change on imperiled turtle species and will enable more accurate estimates of hatchling sex ratios at a population level and on a global scale.

2-Apr-2020 3:00 PM EDT
Ocean’s ‘biological pump’ captures more carbon than expected
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Scientists have long known that the ocean plays an essential role in capturing carbon from the atmosphere, but a new study from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) shows that the efficiency of the ocean’s “biological carbon pump” has been drastically underestimated, with implications for future climate assessments.

Released: 6-Apr-2020 8:10 AM EDT
How Old are Whale Sharks? Nuclear Bomb Legacy Reveals Their Age
Rutgers University-New Brunswick

Nuclear bomb tests during the Cold War in the 1950s and 1960s have helped scientists accurately estimate the age of whale sharks, the biggest fish in the seas, according to a Rutgers-led study. It’s the first time the age of this majestic species has been verified. One whale shark was an estimated 50 years old when it died, making it the oldest known of its kind. Another shark was an estimated 35 years old.

Released: 2-Apr-2020 12:45 PM EDT
Discovery of life in solid rock deep beneath sea may inspire new search for life on Mars
University of Tokyo

Newly discovered single-celled creatures living deep beneath the seafloor have given researchers clues about how they might find life on Mars. These bacteria were discovered living in tiny cracks inside volcanic rocks after researchers persisted over a decade of trial and error to find a new way to examine the rocks.

Released: 2-Apr-2020 6:00 AM EDT
Oysters and Clams Can be Farmed Together
Rutgers University-New Brunswick

Eastern oysters and three species of clams can be farmed together and flourish, potentially boosting profits of shellfish growers, according to a Rutgers University–New Brunswick study. Though diverse groups of species often outperform single-species groups, most bivalve farms in the United States and around the world grow their crops as monocultures, notes the study in the journal Marine Ecology Progress Series.

Released: 1-Apr-2020 1:30 PM EDT
Landmark study concludes marine life can be rebuilt by 2050
King Abdullah University of Science & Technology (KAUST)

An international study recently published in the journal Nature that was led by KAUST Professors Carlos Duarte and Susana Agustí lays out the essential roadmap of actions required for the planet's marine life to recover to full abundance by 2050.

Released: 1-Apr-2020 8:30 AM EDT
Researchers Team up with U.S. Coast Guard to Release and Track Three Baby Sea Turtles
Florida Atlantic University

Beach closures and other COVID-19 pandemic restrictions required scientists to get creative. They teamed up with the U.S. Coast Guard to make sure that three baby green sea turtles made it home. The turtles were outfitted with small solar powered satellite transmitters. Data will provide information to help scientists preserve sea turtles’ habitats and give them a hint about the effects of warmer temperatures on their offshore behavior.

Released: 31-Mar-2020 8:55 AM EDT
Impact of marine carbon on climate change to be investigated by Warwick Scientists
University of Warwick

185 scientists won part of the European Research Council’s (ERC) €450 million for Europe’s long-term frontier research, one of which was Professor David Scanlan, from the School of Life Sciences at the University of Warwick.

Released: 27-Mar-2020 1:10 PM EDT
Scientists predict the size of plastics animals can eat
Cardiff University

A team of scientists at Cardiff University has, for the first time, developed a way of predicting the size of plastics different animals are likely to ingest.

Released: 20-Mar-2020 2:25 PM EDT
FSU Research: Hidden source of carbon found at the Arctic coast
Florida State University

A previously unknown and significant source of carbon just discovered in the Arctic has scientists both marveling at a once overlooked contributor to local coastal ecosystems and concerned about what it may mean in an era of climate change. FSU researcher Robert Spencer co-authored a study that showed evidence of undetected concentrations and flows of dissolved organic matter entering Arctic coastal waters, coming from groundwater flows on top of frozen permafrost.

Released: 20-Mar-2020 11:45 AM EDT
Reanalysis of global amphibian crisis study finds important flaws
University of California, Berkeley

Though biodiversity is in crisis globally, amphibians in particular face a variety of threats.

16-Mar-2020 8:30 AM EDT
‘Sushi parasites’ have increased 283-fold in past 40 years
University of Washington

A new study led by the University of Washington finds dramatic increases in the abundance of a worm that can be transmitted to humans who eat raw or undercooked seafood. Its 283-fold increase in abundance since the 1970s could have implications for the health of humans and marine mammals, which both can inadvertently eat the worm.

Released: 16-Mar-2020 1:50 PM EDT
Soft corals near Virgin Islands recover from 2017 hurricanes, but stony corals still declining
University at Buffalo

Soft corals at three sites in the U.S. Virgin Islands were able to recover from the destructive effects of nearly back-to-back Category 5 storms in 2017, but research by a UB marine ecologist puts that seemingly good news in the context of an ecosystem that is dramatically changing.

Released: 12-Mar-2020 3:05 PM EDT
Ocean acidification impacts oysters' memory of environmental stress
University of Washington

Researchers from the University of Washington School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences have discovered that ocean acidification impacts the ability of some oysters to pass down “memories” of environmental trauma to their offspring.



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