Articles tagged with Marine Life
Researchers have discovered that massive volcanic eruptions in the late Permian period likely caused the extinction of nearly all marine species and a majority of land life. Mercury levels were found to be significantly higher than today's human-caused emissions, contributing to the loss of 95% of life in the sea.
A team of researchers determined the mass extinction event that wiped out 95% of marine life and 70% of terrestrial life occurred approximately 252.28 million years ago, lasting less than 200,000 years.
Researchers found that sea urchins have limited effect on controlling invasive seaweeds like Caulerpa racemosa and Lophocladia lallemandii in the Mediterranean. High sea urchin densities can limit their establishment, but they exert no control in highly invaded areas.
Researchers found that sea urchins have photoreceptors on the tip and base of their tube feet, allowing them to react to light and potentially use the shadow cast by their skeleton for direction. This unique system enables sea urchins to navigate and function in their surroundings despite lacking eyes.
A new study reveals that ocean low-oxygen zones are expanding and contracting in response to climate changes, posing a significant threat to marine ecosystems. The research, led by UCLA scientists, found that these oxygen-depleted regions can have devastating effects on marine populations.
A new study found significant organic material buried in deoxygenated layers of sediment, indicating a mass mortality event in the oceans during a greenhouse effect. The research suggests that subtle changes in temperature and CO2 levels can trigger catastrophic effects on ocean sustainability.
Researchers studied 'greenhouse oceans' using core samples from the ocean bed off western Africa, finding significant organic material buried in deoxygenated layers. The study suggests that natural processes can remove excess carbon from the atmosphere, potentially mitigating the effects of climate change.
Existing protected areas may be insufficient to safeguard sea turtles from fishing nets, according to a new study. International cooperation is needed to extend and manage the waters where olive ridley sea turtles spend most of their time.
Tiny single-celled algae and bacteria rebounded quickly after the Permian-Triassic mass extinction, consuming oxygen and slowing larger organisms' recovery. This process was driven by volcanic activity and resulting ocean acidification, which fueled explosive algae blooms.
Researchers from Wildlife Conservation Society and AMNH discover genetic distinct populations of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin formed by currents, surface temperature differences, and environmental barriers. The study sheds light on how environmental factors influence population structure in marine species.
A team of researchers from MBARI and the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary will use a robotic submarine to study the biological impacts of a shipping container on the seafloor. The goal is to determine what effects, if any, the container has had on seafloor life.
The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation has selected 118 outstanding researchers as recipients of the prestigious Sloan Research Fellowships for 2011. These early-career scientists and scholars will receive $50,000 fellowships to support their original research in various fields.
Biologists in the Gulf of Mexico are urging the need for strategic research plans to understand and restore marine ecosystems after environmental disasters. The team identified seven key elements needed for these plans, including population trends and demographic processes.
Researchers have discovered the secret behind sea urchin teeth's ever-sharp quality, which could be mimicked to create self-sharpening tools. The unique biomineral mosaic structure of the teeth allows them to maintain sharpness despite constant grinding and scraping.
The new podcast series aims to raise awareness about the importance of ocean environments and the threats they face. The shows will explore various topics, including climate change, tracking sharks, whaling, and overfishing.
A new understanding of marine ecology has emerged, revealing that mussel populations are connected across vast distances through communication. This discovery has significant implications for the design of marine reserves and fisheries management.
A recent study has discovered that certain marine bacteria can form biofilms on plastic fragments, potentially breaking them down. This research could lead to new methods for cleaning up microplastics and reducing their impact on marine life.
Researchers found that sea urchins prey on crinoids, a type of marine animal known as sea lilies, and suggested that these interactions drove the development of motility in sea lilies. The study, published in PNAS, provides evidence for an evolutionary arms race between predators and prey dating back over 200 million years.
Early life likely arose from gases and geochemical gradients at deep-sea hydrothermal vents, rather than a primordial soup, according to new research. This alternative theory proposes that the first cells harnessed these energy sources to generate ATP through chemiosmosis.
Researchers estimate that echinoderms, including starfish and sea urchins, produce over a tenth of a gigatonne of carbon per year through calcifying their skeletons. This contribution is more significant than previously thought and must be taken into account in climate models.
A team of researchers found that some microscopic marine organisms recovered within a century after the mass extinction, contradicting previous estimates of millions of years. This discovery suggests that the atmosphere cleared quickly, allowing ecosystems to recover from the impact's effects.
Marine renewable energy devices can boost local biodiversity and benefit marine environments by attracting marine organisms to man-made structures, creating 'artificial reefs'. However, such devices also pose negative environmental impacts from habitat loss, collision risks, noise, and electromagnetic fields.
The NOAA report finds that the sanctuary's marine life and habitats are fair to good overall but face emerging threats like marine debris and ocean acidification. The condition report provides a baseline for monitoring changes in sanctuary resources.
A comprehensive investigation into sea urchins' axial complex has shown that various internal organs are structurally linked. The study uses high-resolution imaging to analyze specimens from multiple orders, providing a re-evaluation of published studies spanning two centuries.
Researchers at UBC found that warmer, more acidic waters enable Purple Ochre Sea Stars to grow twice as fast as normal over 10 weeks. This discovery complicates current assumptions about climate change's impact on marine species.
A new set of ocean observing data enhances the ability to track probable paths of victims and drifting survivor craft, improving search and rescue efforts. The data feeds into Coast Guard servers to improve environmental observations and supports oil spill response, harmful algal bloom monitoring, and water quality assessments.
Researchers discovered that the teeth contain crystals of magnesium calcite, which are smaller, harder and denser than those of pure calcite. The unique arrangement of these crystals in two different arrays allows them to be self-sharpening as they wear down.
Researchers use Ocean Acoustic Waveguide Remote Sensing (OAWRS) to observe mass migrations of hundreds of millions of fish, revealing critical population density triggers synchronized movement. This breakthrough confirms theories about large groups of animals and provides valuable information for conservation of marine ecosystems.
A team of scientists has made a groundbreaking discovery that challenges the long-held assumption about oceanic iron cycles. They found that organic compounds can capture some iron spewed by hydrothermal vents, enabling it to be carried away in seawater and reaching the surface, where it can nourish marine life more efficiently.
A University of Minnesota-led study connects iron sources from extreme depths to surface life, shedding light on nutrient cycling. Researchers found that hydrothermal vents release rusty iron, which can provide essential nutrients for sea life.
A comprehensive 'inventory' of life in Antarctica has revealed over 1200 known marine and land species, including sea urchins, free-swimming worms, crustaceans, and birds. The study found surprising high biodiversity in the region, with many temperate and tropical species present.
Researchers at Queen's University Belfast trace the family tree of octopuses, revealing a link between climate change and their global distribution. The study suggests that many deep-sea species evolved from Antarctic ancestors, highlighting the impact of thermohaline circulation on marine biodiversity.
Researchers successfully tracked juvenile Pacific salmon from their release in freshwater to distant ocean destinations, providing insights into their life experience and decline. The study also found that survival rates were comparable between dammed and un-dammed rivers.
A team of earth scientists found ocean floor geysers in the Pacific Ocean that warm flowing sea water. This discovery suggests possible marine life in a previously barren area.
A study by Swedish researchers found that acidification reduces sea urchin fertility by 25%, affecting larval development and population growth. The findings highlight the devastating impact of ocean acidification on marine animal life, with far-reaching consequences for commercially and ecologically important species.
Researchers are studying how climate change affects early life stages of fish in two ocean environments off the coasts of New Jersey and Long Island. Using real-time data and advanced technology, they are developing models to aid fisheries research and management, with a focus on habitat effects and growth.
A symposium in the Biological Bulletin highlights the powerful advantages of using gene catalogs to infer biological function in marine animals, including the sea urchin and tubeworm. By comparing their genomes with those of other organisms, researchers can gain new clues about how physiological systems evolved.
Researchers mapped large arc-shaped depressions on Jupiter's moon Europa, indicating a shift of 80° in its rotational axis. The findings suggest the presence of an internal liquid ocean, which could support life, and provide independent evidence for this possibility.
Researchers found a significant delay in the evolution of animal life due to low levels of oxygen and molybdenum in ancient deep oceans. This discovery provides new insights into the environmental conditions that led to the emergence of animal life.
An international team of scientists has discovered a crucial clue to the delay of animal life on Earth, suggesting that oxygen and molybdenum deficiencies in ancient oceans may have hindered complex life's evolution. The research, published in Nature, sheds light on the development of early life and its connection to ocean chemistry.
A UC Riverside-led study tracked biogeochemical signatures in ancient sedimentary rocks to establish the nature and timing of oxygenation in Earth's atmosphere. The research suggests that a molybdenum-depleted ocean may have retarded the development of complex life for nearly two billion years.
Researchers design a mathematical model to describe circumstances where generalists can endure and even thrive in what is typically expected to be a specialist-only society. The study's findings suggest that having individuals with diverse skills can safeguard against the possibility that specialists don't complement each other.
Researchers found that individual sea otters specialize in particular prey types when food is limited, while populations with abundant resources share similar diets. This specialization can help understand disease mortality and inform wildlife management.
New research brings scientists closer to exploring Jupiter's moon Europa, discovering potential for life in its ice-covered ocean. Refined methods and data analysis reveal a habitable environment, with improved measurements potentially detecting compounds indicative of life.
Scientists studying ancient fish bones in Scandinavia have discovered that warm-water species like anchovies and black sea bream are returning to Danish waters as temperatures rise. This finding suggests that sustainable cod populations can be maintained in the North Sea even during climate change, but with reduced fishing pressure.
A new hypothesis suggests that life emerged in the confined spaces between mica layers in ancient oceans. This model provides a more plausible explanation than existing prebiotic and 'pizza' hypotheses, explaining how early biomolecules formed and evolved.
Historians detail a burst of fishing from 1900 to 1950 that preceded the decline of bluefin tuna populations in the North Atlantic. The research suggests high fishing pressure played a key role in the species' disappearance.
A recent study published in Nature reveals the discovery of over 700 new species in the Antarctic deep sea, including carnivorous sponges and crustaceans. The research suggests that the glacial cycle led to an intermingling of species from shallow and deep water habitats, redefining our understanding of ocean evolution.
The LA Times reporters were recognized for their outstanding journalistic achievement in raising public awareness about human-caused ocean microbiological changes. Their 5-part series, Altered Oceans, explained how overfishing and waste dumping are creating a biological imbalance in the world's oceans.
A team of international scientists has discovered a new group of microscopic organisms in the Arctic Ocean, which have diverged from known organisms more than land plants and animals. These 'picobiliphytes' are highly fluorescent and transform light into biomass, highlighting the ocean's complex biodiversity.
The sea urchin genome shares significant similarities with the human genome, including genes associated with Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and Huntington's diseases. The discovery could hold key insights into developing new treatments and therapies.
The sea urchin genome reveals 23,300 genes and a sophisticated innate immune system. Humans share genes associated with diseases like muscular dystrophy and Huntington's disease with these eyeless animals, which can sense light through their feet.
Researchers sequenced the purple sea urchin genome, detecting an unusually large number of innate immunity genes and early components of adaptive immune system. The findings suggest that complex genetic regulatory circuits were assembled in a late evolutionary event.
Researchers have sequenced the sea urchin genome, revealing a powerful model system for studying embryonic development and immunity. The study's findings could lead to new insights into human skeletal formation and immune system function.
The completed sea urchin genome reveals an 'extraordinarily complex innate immune system' that could provide new tools against infectious diseases. The genome also holds secrets to understanding aging and chemical threats, with potential implications for human health.
The sea urchin genome sequencing project reveals a surprising relationship between sea urchins and humans, sharing more genes and biological pathways than previously suspected. The analysis provides novel insights into the structure and function of human genomes.
Scientists discover 20,000+ kinds of rare bacteria in 1 liter of seawater using new DNA sequencing tools, challenging previous estimates of marine microbial diversity. The 'rare biosphere' plays an important role in ecological processes and evolutionary history.
A new study reveals that removing top predator species from kelp forests has a profound impact on the ecosystem, while organic coastal run-off has minimal effect. The research suggests California is on the right track with fishing limits to protect the delicate food chain.
Researchers have discovered a dichotomy in sea turtle migration patterns in the eastern Atlantic, revealing two distinct foraging strategies. The study found that adult turtles occupy different habitats and diets, with coastal adults being larger and feeding on arthropods, while oceanic adults are smaller and feed on floating plants.
A massive marsh planting project is set to begin in coastal Alabama and Mississippi, aiming to restore salt marshes and their ecosystem services. The project, led by Dr. Cebrian, will focus on restoring black needlerush and other plant species, and will involve the coordinated efforts of researchers, resource managers, and volunteers.