Bugs in Boxes Shed Light on Biological Invasions
Bugs in boxes are helping UC Davis researcher Alan Hastings improve scientific tools used to predict the spread of invasive plants and animals. view more (2009-09-21)
Invasive species on the march: variable rates of spread set current limits to predictability
Whether for introduced muskrats in Europe or oak trees in the United Kingdom, zebra mussels in United States lakes or agricultural pests around the world, scientists have tried to find new ways of controlling invasive species by learning how these animals and plants take over in new environs. view more (2009-09-18)
Shifting baselines confound river restoration
Steep reductions in the abundance of fish, shellfish, and other aquatic fauna in recent centuries are not restricted to animals that live in the sea: historical records show that species in rivers and lakes worldwide also experienced sharp declines. view more (2009-09-01)
The invasive green mussel may inspire new forms of wet adhesion
The green mussel is known for being a notoriously invasive fouling species, but scientists have just discovered that it also has a very powerful form of adhesion in its foot, according to a recent article in the Journal of Biological Chemistry. view more (2009-08-28)
Annual Tahoe Report Says Asian Clam Invasion Is Growing Fast
Released today, UC Davis' annual Lake Tahoe health report describes a spreading Asian clam population that could put sharp shells and rotting algae on the spectacular mountain lake's popular beaches, possibly aid an invasion of quagga and zebra mussels, and even affect lake clarity and ecology. view more (2009-08-19)
Round Goby invade Great Lakes
Canadian scientists uncover alarming invasion of round goby into Great Lakes tributaries: impact on endangered fishes likely to be serious. view more (2009-08-12)
Zebra mussels hang on while quagga mussels take over
The zebra mussels that have wreaked ecological havoc on the Great Lakes are harder to find these days - not because they are dying off, but because they are being replaced by a cousin, the quagga mussel. But zebra mussels still dominate in fast-moving streams and rivers. view more (2009-06-12)
Elevated Water Temperature and Acidity Boost Growth of Key Sea Star Species, UBC Researchers
New research by UBC zoologists indicates that elevated water temperatures and heightened concentrations of carbon dioxide can dramatically increase the growth rate of a keystone species of sea star. view more (2009-06-02)
Cause of mussel poisoning identified
The origin of the neurotoxin azaspiracid has finally been identified after a search for more than a decade. view more (2009-03-25)
Atlantic snails are increasing dramatically in size, Queen's researcher discovers
A Queen's University biologist has discovered that the shell lengths of northwest Atlantic Ocean snails - an important member of the Atlantic food chain - have increased by 22.6 per cent over the past century. Until now, this significant change in the marine ecosystem has gone unnoticed. view more (2009-03-25)
The Prestige oil spill caused changes in the cell structure of mussels
The oil spill from the Prestige petroleum oil tanker in 2002 caused serious damage to the ecosystems in the Bay of Biscay. A PhD thesis at the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) has studied the consequences of this spill for the mussels inhabiting this northern coast of the Iberian peninsula. view more (2009-03-25)
A crystal clear view of chalk formation
Chalk crystallizes differently from the way we once thought it did. This discovery will allow the development of new scale inhibitors and other materials, and has also consequences for climate change. view more (2009-01-26)
Ocean growing more acidic faster than once thought
University of Chicago scientists have documented that the ocean is growing more acidic faster than previously thought. In addition, they have found that the increasing acidity correlates with increasing levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide. view more (2008-11-25)
Brainy genes, not brawn, key to success on mussel beach
It's hard being a mussel: you have to worry about hungry starfish and even hungrier humans, not to mention an environment that can change your body temperature 50 degrees Fahrenheit in just a few hours. view more (2008-10-10)
Biological invasions increasing due to freshwater impoundments, says CU-Boulder study
The growing number of dams and other impoundments is increasing the number of invasive species and the speed at which they spread, putting natural lakes at risk, says a study led by the University of Colorado at Boulder. view more (2008-09-03)
Acidification of the sea hampers reproduction of marine species
By absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and from the human use of fossil fuels, the world's seas function as a giant buffer for the Earth's life support system. view more (2008-07-30)
Microbial stowaways: Are ships spreading disease?
Ships are inadvertently carrying trillions of stowaways in the water held in their ballast tanks. When the water is pumped out, invasive species could be released into new environments. Disease-causing microbes could also be released, posing a risk to public health, according to an article in the May issue of Microbiology Today. view more (2008-05-29)
Microbial stowaways: Are ships spreading disease?
Ships are inadvertently carrying trillions of stowaways in the water held in their ballast tanks. When the water is pumped out, invasive species could be released into new environments. Disease-causing microbes could also be released, posing a risk to public health, according to an article in the May issue of Microbiology Today. view more (2008-05-29)
A Great Lakes mystery: The case of the disappearing species
Throughout the overlooked depths of Lake Michigan and other Great Lakes, a small but important animal is rapidly disappearing. view more (2008-05-29)
New map outlines risk of zebra mussel invasion
The spread of two invasive alien freshwater mussel species - the zebra mussel and the quagga mussel - appears to be controlled in part by calcium levels in streams and lakes and a new risk assessment based on water chemistry suggests the Great Plains and American Southwest could be next in line for invasion. view more (2007-12-04)
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