Dixon et al. show that mixing and matching corals of the same species from different latitudes may help corals survive in warming oceans. Source: Crossbreeding Could Help Coral Survive Warming Waters – The New York Times
Source: Deep-Sea Corals Win Historic Protection Federal fisheries officials have proposed to protect approximately 38,000 square miles in the mid-Atlantic. NOAA Fisheries must still approve this plan.
The council that oversees the region’s fishing industry voted Tuesday to re-open vast swaths of Georges Bank to fishing. Source: Fishing industry body votes to re-open parts of Georges Bank – The Boston Globe
This articles describes a large bloom of marine diatoms (Pseudo-nitzschia spp.) occurring along the west coast of the US. Several species of Pseudo-nitzschia produce the toxin domoic acid, which can cause neurological disorders in vertebrates. From the article: “Scientists onboard …
Toxic algae bloom might be largest ever | The Seattle Times Read more »
This article describes some of the challenges facing sandy shores in terms of sea level rise, increased storm frequency and duration, and economic and social issues. Sand wars come to New England coast – Metro – The Boston Globe.
This article in Science examines the molecular evolution of myoglobin and in particular changes that result in differences in the net surface charge of the protein. Increases in net surface charge allow for increased oxygen storage while protecting protein stability. …
Evolution of Mammalian Diving Capacity Traced by Myoglobin Net Surface Charge Read more »
This article from the New York Times summarizes a study reporting at least 400,000 seabirds are snared and drowned by gillneting activities. The original article appeared in Biological Conservation. Study Finds Large Seabird Toll From Fishing Nets – NYTimes.com.
This is an article describing an amazing collection of glass invertebrates and how biology can inspire art, which can inspire biology. Blaschka Glass Menagerie Inspires Marine Expedition – NYTimes.com.
This was published in 2005 but only recently came to my attention. The narwhal’s tusk is a sensor that can detect changes in water temperature, pressure, and chemical gradients. Harvard Gazette: Marine biology mystery solved.
Quest to build a heart gets lift from jellyfish – Boston.com. This is a great article describing how researchers at Harvard and Cal Tech, inspired by the movements of jellyfish, created a “pseudo-organism” using rat heart cells seeded onto an …
Quest to build a heart gets lift from jellyfish – Boston.com Read more »