Ecology

The Biden-Harris Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding will bolster NOAA efforts to combat marine debris across the U.S.

A new study shows how it is possible to use offshore wind farms to produce food, while meeting the renewable energy needs of northern Europe.

RWE is investigating how artificial reefs at offshore wind farms in the Baltic Sea can affect the marine ecosystem and whether they can create an attractive marine habitat, particularly for blue mussels, algae and fish species.

Staff from AIMS travelled to Nha Trang to promote and exchange science knowledge to inform sustainable management of Vietnam’s coral reefs which support marine life and the local economy of many coastal communities.

New research from CSIRO, Australia's national science agency, and the University of Toronto in Canada, estimates up to 11 million metric tons of plastic pollution is sitting on the ocean floor.

Were it possible, to have mangroves grow on the oceans, floating on top, then they could theoretically sequester large amounts of carbon while also help rebuilding food, fisheries, and restore natural blue carbon ecosystems.

University of Queensland researchers estimate there could be up to 7000 tonnes of microplastics polluting vital ecosystems in Brisbane’s Moreton Bay.

The Ocean Cleanup has deployed its first InterceptorTM river cleanup solution in the Chao Phraya River, Bangkok – part of a wider research partnership to tackle plastic pollution in one of the world’s busiest working rivers.

Researchers have deployed a glider that traversed Oregon’s near-shore waters from Astoria to Coos Bay and measured the oxygen levels through the water column, and beamed the data back to OSU computers.

“Climate change remains the biggest threat to coral reefs globally. It causes more frequent and severe marine heatwaves, leading to shortened windows of recovery for corals from bleaching and other disturbances."

Even though the fishing industry isn't the only thing affecting the harbor porpoises, the researchers are especially focused on the threat that commercial fishing poses. "If the harbor porpoises of the Belt Sea disappear, they might never come back. Therefore, we need to do something now to protect and stabilize the population."

An orca (killer whale) has been observed, for the first-ever time, individually consuming a great white shark—and within just two minutes. Understanding the ecological dynamics of killer whale predation is paramount for marine conservation efforts.