Articles tagged with Oceanography
A new study reveals that giant clam populations in American Sāmoa are stable and abundant due to traditional community-based resource management. Village-managed closures outperform federally protected no-take areas, highlighting the effectiveness of cultural stewardship.
An international scientific team led by UiT The Arctic University of Norway has discovered the deepest known gas hydrate cold seep on Earth at a staggering depth of 3,640 meters. This groundbreaking finding reveals a previously unknown ecosystem thriving in the Greenland Sea and expands the known depth limit for gas hydrate outcrops.
A team of scientists, led by UC Santa Barbara's David Siegel, embarked on a research expedition to the North Atlantic to study the ocean's carbon cycle. They found that tiny organic particles, known as marine snow, transport carbon from the surface to depths, and this process is critical for understanding Earth's climate.
A new study reveals that seasonal seabird nesting concentrates tiger sharks in specific areas, forcing other species to shift their habitat use to avoid predation. The presence of fledgling seabirds influences the behavior of apex predators, including gray reef and Galapagos sharks.
A new global ocean data assimilation system has been developed to improve the accuracy of sea-surface temperature and sea-level anomaly forecasts. The YHGO platform integrates a fully nonlinear and non-Gaussian data assimilation method with a mass-conserving ocean model, leading to improved performance compared to existing systems.
Ocean is an international, peer-reviewed open-access journal dedicated to advancing research in ocean science, technology, and engineering. The journal aims to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and solve pressing challenges in ocean science and technology.
Scientists at the University of East Anglia used an autonomous underwater vehicle to survey beneath the Dotson Ice Shelf, finding that the shape of the seabed is more important than current speed in influencing warm water circulation. This leads to melting at the underside of the ice shelf, contributing to sea level rise.
Researchers analyzed dolphin vocalizations during enrichment activities at Oltremare Marine Park in Italy. The study found that dolphins 'speak' more during structured moments like training, feeding, or play, revealing their social and emotional engagement.
The 106th Annual Meeting of the American Meteorological Society will focus on the intersection of technology and human decision-making in weather, water, and climate sciences. The meeting will feature keynote presentations, Presidential Sessions, and named symposia highlighting key Earth science topics.
Research shows that flooding in delta cities like Shanghai can expand by up to 80% and be much deeper by 2100 due to extreme climate events, sea-level rise and land subsidence. A major adaptation effort is required to raise defences and construct mobile flood barriers.
A global survey found that nearly 66% of shark descriptors were neutral, suggesting a shift away from the menacing predator narrative. Researchers used automated statistical packages and manual approaches to analyze short descriptions of sharks, revealing positive words like 'majestic' and 'fascinating'.
Researchers from UCSB have challenged the prevailing view of how carbon is fixed in the ocean's sunless depths. They found that microbes beyond autotrophic archaea and heterotrophs could be responsible for fixing carbon dioxide, providing a new understanding of deep-ocean food web dynamics.
Researchers found three major vent areas aligned with active fault zones, controlled by the island's tectonic fabric. The discovery establishes Milos as a natural laboratory for studying hydrothermal activity, volcanism, and tectonics.
A new study published in Nature Geoscience shows the key role of Antarctic Bottom Water in the transition from the last Ice Age. The expansion of AABW played a central role in releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which helped reduce atmospheric CO2 concentrations.
Studies in the Tropical Eastern Pacific indicate that sharks thrive in oceanic islands' MPAs, unlike coastal areas where predatory fish are depleted. The research highlights the importance of these refuges for shark conservation.
Over half of global coastal settlements have retreated from the coast over the past 30 years in response to intensifying climate hazards. Coastal regions in Africa and Oceania lead the retreat, while poorer regions often expand shoreline settlements due to economic needs.
New research reveals that Antarctic mountain peaks can significantly increase the supply of vital nutrients to the Southern Ocean, enhancing its ability to absorb atmospheric carbon dioxide. Sediments from exposed rock surfaces contain higher concentrations of bioavailable iron, which fuels phytoplankton growth and absorbs CO2 through ...
A new resource has been developed to help kelp farmers in Maine reduce their production costs. The tool provides detailed economic analyses and identifies strategies for sustainable business plans. By using this tool, kelp farmers can achieve economic sustainability and improve their bottom line.
Sixty-million-year-old rock samples have revealed how massive amounts of carbon dioxide are stored in piles of lava rubble on the seafloor. This discovery sheds light on the importance of breccia, a geological sponge for carbon in the long-term carbon cycle.
Researchers at Technion Faculty of Biology discovered that marine viruses deploy a sophisticated Trojan horse maneuver to dismantle ocean bacteria's energy systems, using the breakdown products for self-replication. This process reduces global photosynthetic energy production by about 5% and could impact global carbon and oxygen cycles.
A modelling study suggests that heat stored in the Southern Ocean could be released, causing a rapid warming of the atmosphere. The ocean acts as a large heat reservoir, mitigating atmospheric warming since the Industrial Revolution.
A new paper outlines a global coalition dedicated to conserving microbial biodiversity, which accounts for 99% of life on Earth. The Microbial Conservation Specialist Group will develop Red List-compatible metrics, pilot restoration projects, and promote public awareness to ensure microbes are recognized as essential to planetary health.
Two Virginia high school students found that sea anemones experience stress due to hyposalinity caused by hurricane rainfall. They also discovered a threshold of 20 parts per thousand where protective mechanisms fail, highlighting the need for conservation strategies.
Researchers have discovered that sudden shifts in the Southern Westerly Winds 15,000 years ago triggered a massive growth of ancient bogs across the Southern Hemisphere. The study found that the shifting winds created an ideal climate for the swamps to form, and now believe they play a crucial role in regulating carbon stores in peatland.
Researchers developed artificial mangrove roots that mimic natural mangrove root systems, serving as an additional option to mitigate erosion in areas where hard structures have caused negative end effects. AMRs allow water to pass through and help reduce wave impact, promoting sediment retention and enhancing shoreline stability.
A study conducted by Brazilian and Uruguayan researchers found that urbanization leads to a decline in biodiversity, with beachgoers being the most impactful factor. The loss of dunes also makes coastal cities more susceptible to sea level rise, threatening homes and ecosystems.
New research reveals that oceanic upwelling systems amplify acidification, posing existential threats to fisheries and coastal economies. The study used historic coral samples and regional ocean models to predict future changes.
A study published in Nature Climate Change found that mesoscale horizontal stirring intensifies considerably in the Arctic and Southern Oceans, driven by stronger ocean flow and turbulence resulting from sea ice loss. This intensification could alter heat and nutrient transport, impacting marine ecosystems.
A new study has analyzed a rare flooding event in the Maldives in July 2022 and found it could become a far more common occurrence in the future. By 2050, predicted rises in sea levels, coupled with increased extreme weather events, may result in such flooding happening every two to three years.
The FAPESP Day Uruguay symposium will focus on three themes: Oceanography, Forestry, and Sustainable Animal Protein Production. Researchers from São Paulo and Uruguay will engage in scientific sessions, panel discussions, and technical visits to promote collaboration and innovation.
Researchers analyzed sediment cores from three sites in the Arctic, finding that year-round ice coverage corresponded with less cosmic dust. This study suggests that tracking cosmic dust can help predict changes to sea ice coverage and understand warming trends.
Seagrass meadows, such as Posidonia, accumulate around 1.5 tonnes of carbon per hectare in the living parts of plants and fix nearly 7 tonnes each year. The global assessment confirms that these ecosystems play a key role in absorbing atmospheric CO₂, transforming it, and retaining it.
Researchers track benthic nutrient fluxes using a new device called CAROSEL, which measures nitrogen released from sediments in real-time. The findings reveal daily rhythms in oxygen fluxes and highlight the importance of understanding sediment-water interactions in managing aquatic ecosystems.
A new species of Physalia jellyfish has been discovered in northeast Japan, prompting questions about the distribution and movement of marine organisms. The study suggests that warm ocean currents may be transporting surface-drifting marine organisms to previously unrecorded areas.
A UAlbany researcher is leading a $1.2 million NSF project to integrate climate records from stalagmites, corals, lake sediments, and tree rings to understand past changes in monsoon rainfall patterns. The study aims to improve decadal predictions and risk management for societies vulnerable to climate change.
Researchers used lipid biomarker analyses to study survival strategies of microorganisms in extreme deep-sea ecosystems. They found that methane- and sulfate-metabolizing microbes can thrive in environments with high pH values and low organic carbon concentrations.
Climate change is projected to decimate mollusk populations in the Western Atlantic, with over 60% of their range expected to be lost. This would have significant impacts on marine ecosystems, as mollusks play critical roles in maintaining water quality and providing habitats for other species.
Researchers develop AI-powered methods for modeling the Gulf of Mexico's dynamics, achieving higher accuracy for short-term predictions and emulating 10-year dynamics without hallucinations. This breakthrough drives forward critical management of natural resources in the U.S. and Mexico, advancing AI technology in earth sciences.
Researchers at the University of Technology Sydney discovered that tailored lipid supplements can significantly increase coral larvae's strength, speed, and survival rate. This innovation has major implications for reef restoration projects, which aim to improve larval supply but often face low post-settlement survival rates.
A new model shows that buoyant plastics degrade slowly at the surface, fragmenting into smaller particles over decades. These tiny fragments can then sink to the ocean floor, but it may take more than 100 years for surface plastic waste to disappear.
A recent study by AWI suggests that the Southern Ocean's ability to absorb CO2 has remained unchanged despite climate change, due to increased density stratification between surface and deep water masses. This 'freshening' of surface water keeps carbon-rich deep water trapped in the lower layer.
Researchers at University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa identified Caulobacter inopinatus, a previously unknown species found in seawater collected near Oʻahu's south shore. The discovery highlights the connection between land and sea ecosystems through microbial exchanges.
The University of Gothenburg will acquire a new AUV, named Ran II, with improved navigation and emergency response systems. The new vessel will enable researchers to gather unique data on glacier melting and ice dynamics in the Baltic Sea and Antarctica.
A team of scientists highlights the importance of human exploration in the three deeps – deep space, deep sea, and deep Earth. The establishment of a collaborative research alliance aims to advance interdisciplinary cooperation, data sharing, and AI-powered innovation.
A new study by University of Hawaii at Manoa researchers found that traditional Okinawan songs contain records of past climate and geological events, including wind directions and volcanic eruptions. The songs, passed down through generations, were analyzed in conjunction with Western scientific knowledge to identify matches.
Coccolithophores are microscopic ocean organisms that regulate Earth's climate by drawing carbon out of seawater, producing oxygen, and creating chalk and limestone that preserve climate history. Climate change is altering their survival and the ecosystems they support, making International Coccolithophore Day a crucial awareness campa...
A study published in Nature Geoscience found that North American ice sheets caused over 30 feet of global sea-level rise between 8,000 and 9,000 years ago. This discovery challenges decades of research and has significant implications for understanding climate change.
The June 2023 heatwave significantly disrupted phytoplankton blooms and stressed marine species. Rapid climate change increases the likelihood of such events, with about a 10% chance occurring each year.
Researchers found similarities in timing and structure of turbidite layers in cores from both fault systems, suggesting seismic synchronization between Cascadia and San Andreas faults. The study, led by Chris Goldfinger, suggests that earthquakes on one fault could draw down resources across the country.
A new three-year agreement between the Pacific Marine Science Alliance Society and MEOPAR aims to strengthen national ocean research collaboration across Canada's coasts. The partnership will focus on addressing key challenges such as climate resilience, marine hazard prediction, and sustainable resource use.
A new study highlights the Southern Ocean as a decisive factor in cooler warm periods, with stronger stratification leading to more carbon storage in the deep ocean. This led to less atmospheric CO2, a weaker greenhouse effect, and possibly a larger Antarctic ice sheet.
A new USF study suggests that nutrient upwelling and biological productivity remained stable despite higher global temperatures in the eastern tropical Pacific. The researchers found no evidence of reduced nitrate concentrations, a key nutrient for plankton, over the last five million years.
A Peking University study maps the hidden life of river carbon along the upper Yangtze River, revealing how landscape, fire, and sunlight shape the global carbon cycle. The research found that organic carbon changes as it travels from the river's high-altitude headwaters to its densely populated downstream reaches.
The Blue Whale, an 11-meter submersible unmanned vessel, can collect comprehensive water column parameter data while eliminating risks to human life. It is designed to operate in extreme sea states and enhance disaster preparedness through accurate typhoon intensity forecasts and marine condition warnings.
A study found that sea foam from several beaches in North Carolina's coastal region contain higher levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) compared to the water below. Researchers detected PFAS concentrations in sea foam reaching tens to thousands of times higher than in regular seawater.
Researchers have discovered microplastics in the endangered Indus River dolphin, finding fibers and other particles in the GI tracts of all five stranded individuals. The study highlights the urgent need for conservation strategies to address this pollution issue.
A global alliance of microbiology organizations has unveiled a joint strategy to integrate microbial science into climate policy, innovation and public discourse. The strategy aims to recognize microbes as vital allies in the fight against climate change and chart a clear course for microbiology organizations to lead by example.
A University of the Sunshine Coast researcher has documented the world's first recorded and scientifically observed three-way mating between two male and one female leopard sharks. The video provides valuable insights into the species' natural mating behavior and informs conservation strategies.
A study analyzing four decades of Italian cetacean strandings reveals that bottlenose and striped dolphins are most commonly impacted by fishery interactions. The research, published in PLOS One, highlights the need for conservation efforts to mitigate these effects.
A new study reveals that Gulf of Aqaba corals have endured four consecutive and intensifying marine heatwaves without mass bleaching. The findings raise hopes for the future of this globally-significant coral reef amid worsening climate change, but highlight the urgent need for regional conservation policies.