Feature Channels: Marine Science

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The genetic and developmental innovations plants used to make the leap to land have been enduring secrets of nature. Now, an international team of researchers reveals that the aquatic algae from which terrestrial plant life first arose were genetically pre-adapted to form the symbiotic relationships with microorganisms that most land plants need to acquire nutrients from the soil.

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A new report published Tuesday documents all of the fishes that live in the Salish Sea. In total, 253 fish species have been recorded, and that’s about 14 percent more than in the last count.

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When the population of one of the Chesapeake Bay’s most famous residents, the blue crab, went into rapid decline due to overfishing, the Smithsonian stepped in to help. Scientists at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) have been tracking blue crabs throughout the Chesapeake Bay for decades to understand the impact fisheries have on crab populations. After the crabs are caught, scientists record their condition, size and sex; next, they are given a tag with a number unique to that animal and the phone number for the “Blue Crab Hotline.” The crab is then released back into the Bay.

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A new report from the Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System Regional Association details the first 10 years of the nonprofit organization's work to improve access to ocean observing data that helps to protect and preserve the Gulf and its residents.

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New research involving scientists from University of Southampton and the National Oceanography Centre Southampton (NOCS) has identified a crucial process behind the reason why dissolved organic carbon (DOC) levels in the deep oceans are constant despite a continuous supply from the surface ocean.

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Most recreational anglers who target deep-water reef fish in Florida recognize barotrauma symptoms, and University of Florida researchers think they can teach the other 30 percent to help save the fish. By doing so, anglers would play a key role in sustaining the state’s valuable fisheries.

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As much as 47 percent of the edible U.S. seafood supply is lost each year, mainly from consumer waste, new research from the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future (CLF) suggests.

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NMSU researchers have created a new underwater stimulation system to study electrical activity in certain aquatic animals.

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An international team of scientists has discovered a new lineage of extinct plankton-feeding sharks, Pseudomegachasma, that lived in warm oceans during the age of the dinosaurs nearly 100 million years ago. The fossil sharks had tiny teeth very similar to a modern-day, plankton-eating megamouth shark.

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University of Washington researchers have found the types of organisms in Seattle’s Elliott Bay change depending on the shoreline nearby, either armored or restored beaches. Young chum salmon adjusted their diets based on these changes.

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New research from the University of Washington's Friday Harbor Laboratories shows that a more acidic ocean can weaken the protective shell of a delicate alga. The findings, published Sept. 9 in the journal Biology Letters, come at a time when global climate change may increase ocean acidification.

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A greater understanding and appreciation of our oceans is essential for the wellbeing of the world’s population, according to the Global Marine Technology Trends 2030 (GMTT 2030) report launched today (Monday 7 September).

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The tiny, beautiful sea sapphire dazzles observers with its ability to turn various jewel-like colors – and become invisible. The Weizmann Institute’s Prof. Lia Addadi, Prof. Steve Weiner, and others reveal how Sapphirinidae pulls off its magic trick, which could have applications such as adaptive reflective coatings and optical mirrors.

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Restoring oyster reefs is not an easy task, but by digging deep and examining centuries-old reefs, marine restoration professionals may stand a better chance at bringing oysters back, said a new Cornell University and Paleontological Research Institution (PRI) study published in the August issue of the Journal of Shellfish Research.

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Smithsonian scientists and colleagues have discovered a new genus and species of river dolphin that has long been extinct. They made the discovery after carefully examining fossil fragments from Panama. The fossil fragments also shed new light on the evolution of today’s freshwater river dolphin species.

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In early August, biologist Peter Ward returned from the South Pacific with news that he encountered an old friend, one he hadn’t seen in over three decades. The University of Washington professor had seen what he considers one of the world’s rarest animals, a remote encounter that may become even more infrequent if illegal fishing practices continue.

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A rare longfin mako shark satellite-tagged near Cuba recently “phoned home” off the U.S. Atlantic coast, say Mote Marine Laboratory scientists and colleagues who tagged the mako during the first-ever expedition to satellite-tag sharks off Cuba.

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A new WFU study on archerfish and spitting prowess shows for first time that there is little difference in the amount of force of water jets based on target distance.

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Female fish in the Bahamas have developed ways of showing males that “No means no.”

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The first whole genome analysis of an octopus reveals unique genomic features that likely played a role in the evolution of traits such as large complex nervous systems and adaptive camouflage. The findings are published in Nature on Aug 12, 2015.

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NSU researchers find that current efforts to reduce lionfish populations aren't enough - much more must be done.

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The time since the introduction of a non-native marine species best explains its global range, according to new research by an international team of scientists led by University of Georgia ecologist James E. Byers. The study also contains a warning: The vast majority of marine invaders have not yet finished spreading.

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According to University of Georgia’s Samantha Joye, one of the biggest challenges in evaluating the environmental impacts of the Macondo blowout was the lack of baseline data. She argues in a new article in the journal Science that environmental monitoring data is desperately needed to establish natural baselines.

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NSU researcher working in the deep Gulf of Mexico finds new species of anglerfish.

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University of Washington scientists recently announced the name of a new genus and species of frogfish, which are small, stocky creatures found in most tropical and subtropical oceans around the world.

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Both prescription and illegal drugs such as morphine, cocaine and oxycodone have been found in surface waters in Canadian rivers. New research from McGill shows that wastewater discharged from wastewater treatment plants in the Grand River watershed of southern Ontario has the potential to contaminate sources of drinking water with these drugs.

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Other topics include editing genes, cellular switchboards, treating menopause and more...

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UAB research shows that phytoplankton, the foundation of all marine life, will experience varied growth rates due to ocean acidification levels during the next century.

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Marine species that already roam far and wide throughout our oceans are extending their territories further and faster in response to climate change, according to new research involving the University of Southampton and an international team of biodiversity experts.

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How clouds form and how they help set the temperature of the earth are two of the big remaining questions in climate research. Now, a study of clouds over the world's remotest ocean shows that ocean life is responsible for up to half the cloud droplets that pop in and out of existence during summer.

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"No swimming" signs have already popped up this summer along coastlines where fecal bacteria have invaded otherwise inviting waters. Some vacationers ignore the signs while others resign themselves to tanning and playing on the beach. But should those avoiding the water be wary of the sand, too? New research in the ACS journal Environmental Science & Technology investigates reasons why the answer could be "yes."

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Research has suggested yellow perch grow more rapidly during the short winters resulting from climate change, but a new study shows warmer water temperatures can lead to the production of less hardy eggs and larvae that have trouble surviving these early stages of life in Lake Erie.

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A half-dozen groups are coming together to try to expand the number of underwater receivers that are in the Gulf and develop arrays in key areas to provide a better regional view of animals and their habitat use...

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About one quarter of the world’s sharks, rays and skates are threatened with extinction. The lack of comprehensive and up-to-date data on species abundance and distribution hinders efforts to protect and replenish these important and dynamic marine animals. Demian Chapman, PhD, assistant professor at the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, and a multi-institutional team have kicked off the Global FinPrint initiative, the first-ever global survey to inform shark and ray conservation. The largest of its kind, FinPrint is a three-year survey of sharks and rays in coral reef ecosystems designed to provide fundamental data essential to building effective conservation programs. FinPrint is funded by Vulcan Inc. which was founded by Paul G. Allen.

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New research led by the University of Southampton is paving the way to protect the endangered European eel as they migrate through rivers to the ocean.

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The lobsters create "behavioral immunity" that prevents them from contracting a deadly disease, a key finding for the $50 million a year Florida business, according to a new study co-authored by a UF/IFAS scientist.

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Though they occupy a small fraction of the Earth’s surface, freshwater wetlands are the largest natural source of methane going into the atmosphere. New research from the University of Georgia identifies an unexpected process that acts as a key gatekeeper regulating methane emissions from these freshwater environments.

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Research by Indiana University Media School researcher Jessica Gall Myrick examines how clips from the Discovery Channel's popular “Shark Week” programs influence our fear of Great Whites and other sharks.

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UF/IFAS fisheries Professor Mike Allen says officials could save $1 million a year in monitoring for invasive fish, knowing they can use tournament fish-catch data.

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A new study led by researchers at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego indicates a steady population trend for blue whales and an upward population trend for fin whales in Southern California.

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Glowing corals that display a surprising array of colours have been discovered in the deep water reefs of the Red Sea by scientists from the University of Southampton, UK, Tel Aviv University and the Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences (IUI), Israel, together with an international team of researchers.

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Fish may seem to glide effortlessly through the water, but the tiny ripples they leave behind are evidence of a constant give-and-take of energy between the swimmer and its aqueous environment -- a momentum exchange that propels the fish forward but is devilishly tricky to quantify. Now, new research shows that a fish's propulsion can be understood by studying vortices in the surrounding water as individual units instead of examining the flow as a whole.

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A University of Michigan researcher and his colleagues are forecasting a slightly below-average but still significant "dead zone" this summer in the Chesapeake Bay, the nation's largest estuary.

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A University of Michigan researcher and his colleagues are forecasting an average but still large "dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico this year.

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