Science

When it comes to big-footing local governments’ authority, it seems nothing is off-limits for Florida legislators.

Although the sea turtle nesting season officially starts May 1 and ends Oct. 31, a leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) nest was discovered earlier this week by a beach walker and reported to sea turtle patrol.

40 per cent of mangrove forests in West Coast of India have been converted into farmlands and housing colonies over the last three decades

The Sarasota County Water Quality Summit will bring together local, regional and state experts to discuss water quality issues. Free and open to the public, the summit will be held 1-6:30 p.m. June 5 (Wednesday) in the auditorium at Riverview High School, 1 Ram Way in Sarasota.

nurdle | ˈnərdl | noun (usually nurdles) a very small pellet of plastic which serves as raw material in the manufacture of plastic products.

When orcas and white sharks cross paths, only one can prevail as the true apex predator. New research from the Monterey Bay Aquarium published in Nature Scientific Reports details these rare, sometimes brutal encounters — and their ecological implications.

Scientists from the University of East Anglia have discovered a unique oil eating bacteria in the deepest part of the Earth’s oceans — the Mariana Trench. Together with researchers from the China and Russia, they undertook the most comprehensive analysis of microbial populations in the trench.

A “cool looking” act of nature is being credited with transforming beaches at the Outer Banks into something resembling a moonscape, including “unusually large sand pedestals.” Adding to the oddity: The pedestals featured wind-cut “light and dark patterns” that resembled layers of a cake.

There’s a new sweetheart of the ocean, and they go by nudibranch

The environmental situation in Medina, a fishing town in Misamis Oriental province, has been experiencing a 180-degree turn since the municipal government embarked on a comprehensive marine protection and conservation program last year.

A recent study shows that nitrous oxide emissions from thawing Alaskan permafrost are about twelve times higher than previously assumed. About one fourth of the Northern Hemisphere is covered in permafrost, which is thawing at an increasing rate.

Coastal erosion carries millions of tonnes of long-buried trash into deep ocean canyons, where it remains for decades.

TOWNSVILLE, Queensland, Australia, April 13, 2019 (ENS) – The damage caused to the Great Barrier Reef by the warming climate has compromised the capacity of its corals to recover, finds new research published earlier this month in the journal “Nature.”

Communications by researchers at San Diego State University (SDSU), the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Scripps Institution of Oceanography and others revealed that the bacteria present in the water overlying dozens of coral reefs changed dramatically during the night, and then returned to the same daytime community as observed the morning before.

Publishing in the journal Science, scientists propose a bold new target that would stave off biodiversity loss

Copper mines obviously yield copper, but they also produce waste material – tailings – which must be disposed of somehow. In Norway, tailings have often been dumped in fjords as an alternative to disposal on land. The environmental impact of this practice over time is not known.

It was a wild March headlined by abnormal warmth in our nation’s coldest state and a destructive and costly “bomb cyclone” in central United States.

The Marshall Islands and other atoll countries in the Pacific will be the first nations to face extinction as a result of global warming. Rising sea levels could wipe them off the map in a matter of decades. Endless floods will make them uninhabitable even sooner.

From Carla Stehr’s viewpoint, the ocean is very small. Tiny. Microscopic, in fact. It’s also a wondrous, liquid world teeming with all sizes of life that lends itself to all kinds of artistic interpretation.

A new study of Virginia's barrier islands off the coast of the Eastern Shore provides a fundamental understanding of how barrier islands will change in the near future amid a warming climate, sea-level rise and storm events such as hurricanes and nor'easters.

The first right whale calf of the season was spotted over the weekend. Researchers say there are only about 450 left in the world.

Video showing an endangered killer whale pod in Monterey Bay — a place where they haven’t been seen in years — is making waves.

Of the 4-12 million tons of plastic that enter the oceans each year, just 250,00 tons —less than one percent—stays on the surface

Timing Could Make a Difference to Ease the Double Punch of Clams and Pumps

They increasingly hunt in the waters off Cape Cod, and sometimes humans get in their way. Last summer, scientist Greg Skomal was one of them.

First-of-its kind study documents heavy metals, other evidence of poor health

Two cracks on the Brunt Ice Shelf are creeping closer to each other. When they intersect, an iceberg twice the size of Manhattan will slide into the ocean.

The study measured the number of surviving adult corals in the Great Barrier Reef - the world's largest reef system - following extreme heat stress, as well as how many new corals it was able to replenish in 2018.

Some reefs surviving better but all areas at risk with climate change, land-based sediment, toxic runoff

That leaping dolphin, one of the most beloved animals of the South Carolina coast, might be dying off in front of our eyes.

First time NOAA Fisheries has had a report of a dead sperm whale in Alaska's Inside Passage

"March was the warmest of record over nearly all of Alaska north of the Alaska Range and Bristol Bay," tweeted the International Arctic Research Center (IARC) at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. "Some places on the North Slope and in Northwest Arctic Borough were more than 20 degrees Fahrenheit (11 degrees Celsius) above normal."

Scientists from Russia and China will cooperate in the exploration of marine life and mineral resources in the deep sea, particularly in the Arctic region, Andrei Adrianov, vice-president of the Russian Academy of Sciences, said at a news conference on Wednesday.

A new method for reconstructing changes in nitrogen sources over time has enabled scientists to connect excess nutrients in the coastal waters of West Maui, Hawaii, to a sewage treatment facility that injects treated wastewater into the ground.

Many invasive species are found along U.S. coasts, including fishes, crabs, mollusks and marsh grasses. Since the general opinion is that invasives are harmful, land managers and communities spend a lot of time and resources attempting to remove them. Often this happens before much is known about their actual effects, either good or bad.

Anapolis, MD – The efforts of the many partners of the Chesapeake Bay Program to restore the nation’s largest estuary continue to yield promising results. The partnership’s annual science-based snapshot, Bay Barometer: Health and Restoration in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed 2017 – 2018 reports encouraging signs of resilience throughout the ecosystem and continues to build upon our high standards of science and data by tracking new indicators of environmental health.

In its annual rhythm of growth and melt, sea ice across the Arctic Ocean generally retreats throughout springtime. But not every region melts equally. By the end of April 2018, ice cover in the Bering Sea was far below average for the time of year.

Only 20 per cent of ice formed in the Russian shelf reaches the Central Arctic, compared to around 50 per cent 20 years ago, according to a new paper published on 2 April in Scientific Reports, an open access journal (1). The rest of the ice now melts before it can leave the “nursery.”

In a new analysis of the effectiveness of marine protected areas worldwide, University of Massachusetts Amherst marine ecologist Brian Cheng and colleagues report that reserves not only replenish target fish populations, they also restore ecological functioning. However, not all reserves performed equally well.

Sea snakes, best known from shallow tropical waters, have been recorded swimming at 250 meters in the deep-sea 'twilight zone,' smashing the previous diving record of 133 meters held by sea snakes.

Increasing ground temperatures in the Arctic are indicators of global climate change, but until recently, areas of cold permafrost were thought to be relatively immune to severe impacts.

Canada is warming at twice the global rate, while right-wing politicians attack the carbon tax.

Scientists have completed the first comprehensive assessment of UV-filters in surface seawater, sediment, and coral tissue from multiple coral reefs around the island of Oahu, Hawaii. UV-filters are active ingredients in sunscreens, but are also added to many other products, including textile, plastics, and paint to prevent photo degradation.

An unprecedented marine heatwave had long-lasting negative impacts on both survival and birth rates on the iconic dolphin population in Shark Bay, Western Australia. Researchers have now documented that climate change may have more far-reaching consequences for the conservation of marine mammals than previously thought.

A comprehensive analysis of more than 11,000 previous coastal-habitat measurements suggests that mangroves and seagrasses provide the greatest value as “nurseries” for young fishes and invertebrates, providing key guidance for managers of threatened marine resources.

The tribes in the Pacific Northwest are leaders in climate adaptation and have mounted multifaceted responses to the threats they face.

State environmental officials ruled Monday that Duke Energy must dig up all of the coal ash submerged near the Belews Creek Steam Station for disposal in a lined landfill or for possible recycling.

In an alarming new study that has implications for people living along the Florida coast, scientists have discovered that dolphins here appear to be suffering from a condition similar to Alzheimer's disease caused by toxins from common algae.

A recent documentary shows nutria devouring Louisiana’s wetlands — but the problems facing the coast are even bigger.

Comprehensive analysis suggests that mangroves and seagrasses provide the greatest value as 'nurseries' for young fishes and invertebrates, providing key guidance for managers of threatened marine resources. Findings will help resource managers with difficult conservation decisions.

It appears to have been wiped out by pollution, development and illegal mining by “sand mafias.” Will other plants soon follow?

A global review has painted a dramatic and dismal picture of our planet under climate change, as record carbon dioxide levels soar toward increasingly dangerous levels.

The new study, which was published in the journal Global Change Biology last month, found that surviving cod larvae suffer significant organ damage and developmental delays that could cause problems throughout their lifetimes.

Well over half of the Chesapeake Bay still is polluted, but experts say water quality has improved significantly — and, in fact, is now the best they’ve ever measured.

Turning the Toxic Tide is a series of editorials published collectively by the six editorial boards of USA TODAY Network-Florida, with the goal of providing an environmental road map for Gov. Ron DeSantis, state legislators and Florida's congressional delegation. This is the fifth in the series.

Puget Sound, Washington - Marco Hatch, a Coastal Salish scholar, talks about the importance of bringing indigenous knowledge to Western research — and what science loses when we don't.

ST. AUGUSTINE — Walking along a wooden path winding through Nease Beachfront Park, Danny Lippi pointed to coastal trees sprouting from the shrubbery around him. The exotic species were brought here by warming temperatures — bringing business opportunities for the local arborist.

The Chesapeake Bay shoreline — rife with inlets, necks, and tributaries both large and small — stretches 11,885 miles, longer than the entire west coast of the U.S.

Tossing £5,000 worth of electrical equipment over the side of a Zodiac inflatable boat might seem foolish, but the sophisticated piece of gadgetry I’m lowering into the icy Southern Ocean could reward me with far greater intelligence on the state of Antarcticathan any expedition cruise ship lecture or illustrated field guide.

3D imaging is a better way to track coral reefs, according to University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo researchers. John H.R. Burns, a UH Hilo assistant professor of marine science, has developed a research program that enhances coral reef research by converting 2D images into 3D reconstructions of reef habitats, using a technique called structure-from-motion photogrammetry.

MBARI scientists and engineers have been developing new methods to study ocean acidification and its effects on marine organisms in their natural habitats for 15 years. Researchers around the world have been adapting MBARI instruments to perform their own experiments in habitats ranging from coral reefs to the Antarctic seafloor. These diverse projects have recently been highlighted in an article in the journal Progress in Oceanography.

A devastating coral disease that started in the Miami area has spread to nearly all of the Florida reef tract and the infection known as stony coral tissue loss disease can now even be found as far away in the Caribbean as Mexico, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, the U.S. Virgin Islands and St. Maarten.

As record rains have poured down on California’s coasts, sending thousands of gallons of runoff into the ocean and dumping debris and trash onto the beaches, dozens of sickened marine mammals have been turning up along the state’s shores this winter.

The Great Lakes region already is warming and changing faster than much of North America — and will continue to do so as global warming increases. That was the summary finding of a new report, released Thursday, compiled by 18 scientists from across the region, both U.S. and Canadian.

Madison, CT — The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection on Wednesday unveiled the Long Island Sound Blue Plan, which maps out wildlife habitats and human activity in order to protect the environment, and commercial and recreational uses, while fostering harmonious development on the Sound.

One of the ocean's little known carnivores has been allocated a new place in the evolutionary tree of life after scientists discovered its unmistakable resemblance with other sea-floor dwelling creatures.

Accurately modeling melt rates in specific ice shelf locations is critical for forecasting how Antarctica’s ice sheet will respond to climate change.

Organs in ‘smart skin’ lead to changes in color and pattern, MBL study find. Organs in ‘smart skin’ lead to changes in color and pattern, MBL study finds

Climate warming is rapidly altering the physical marine environment in fjords on the west coast of Svalbard towards a more temperate state. Reductions in sea ice cover and increased ocean temperatures are evident, resulting in changes of ice-associated and pelagic ecosystems.

Global warming and acidifying oceans are creating an intense competition between coral and algae that both are set to lose.

A piece of Aotearoa technology is being used to support Antarctic scientists to capture fascinating footage of life beneath the ice in McMurdo Sound in the Ross Sea. The stunning footage is just a snippet of what was recorded during 21 hours underwater this season.

Harvard professor and author Sunil Amrith speaks to Rishita Roy Chowdhury about his latest book, Unruly Waters, which looks at the role water has played in South Asian history.

Sky News will broadcast live from 300m down in the Indian Ocean at 8am on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. The series will examine the impact of climate change and plastic pollution. It includes the deepest-ever live news programme from submersibles.

SAN FRANCISCO — Dozens of species of sea slugs, jellyfish and other marine life from toastier southern waters migrated into the Northern California region over an unusually long two-year period of severe heatwaves, says a new scientific report.

Record low sea ice in 2018 sent ripples through the entire Arctic ecosystem

A new set of publicly-available guidelines for monitoring plastic in the oceans is expected to help harmonize how the scale of the issue is assessed.

Coastal inundation due to sea level rise (SLR) is projected to displace hundreds of millions of people worldwide over the next century, creating significant economic, humanitarian, and national-security challenges. However, the majority of previous efforts to characterize potential coastal impacts of climate change have focused primarily on long-term SLR with a static tide level, and have not comprehensively accounted for dynamic physical drivers such as tidal non-linearity, storms, short-term climate variability, erosion response and consequent flooding responses.

March 14 (UPI) -- According to a new study, coastal ecosystems suffer when hydroelectric dams are built upstream. Mangrove forests, wetlands and other estuarine habitats are already facing the threat of rising sea levels. Now, new research suggests these ecosystems are disrupted by upstream dam construction.

The new research provides valuable information to understand and protect California's quintessential kelp forests.

BODEGA BAY, Calif. — Marine biologist Jacqueline Sones was strolling along a beach near this Northern California fishing village one foggy summer morning when she spotted an unfamiliar jellyfish bobbing in the surf.

After a comprehensive review of current knowledge, a panel of scientists has published new recommendations regarding marine mammal noise exposure

“They are delicious when steamed open and dipped in hot butter,” according to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. They’re also disappearing, according to scientists who've studied them from Alaska to California.

The German climate expedition to the Larsen C ice shelf in Antarctica has ceased. The reason is that the ice floes are momentarily too thick: up to ten metres at some places. This is too dense for the expedition ship Polar Stern to continue their mission.

Floridians urged to monitor species' mating habits

An approved federal spending bill will give $14 million to the Environmental Protection Agency, intended to help protect Long Island Sound, officials said.

As sea levels rise, coastal wetlands could play a key role in mitigating the effects of greenhouse gas emissions by capturing and storing large volumes of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2), research published in Nature has found.

There's a massive underwater sinkhole off the coast of Belize that extends 125 meters into the Earth's crust. It's called the Great Blue Hole. Scuba divers and snorkelers have been cruising the surface waters for decades, but few have dared to venture deeper and explore what lies beyond the blackness.

For the first time, scientists have filmed and studied the elusive “type D” killer whales in the wild.

A recently-launched satellite mission has captured precision data on the elevation of the Antarctic ice sheet proving a valuable addition to monitoring efforts in the region, according to work published this week in The Cryosphere.

The discovery answers lots of questions about how animals evolve to have regenerative abilities.

SINGAPORE: The Centre for Climate Research will start a National Sea Level Programme this year to better study how a rise in sea levels could impact Singapore, Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli said on Thursday (Mar 7).

Experts are concerned about an increase in dolphin strandings along the Southern California coast. The Pacific Marine Mammal Center says it has responded to six beached dolphins this month and received reports of two others.

Extreme temperatures destroy kelp, seagrass and corals – with alarming impacts for humanity

The full extent of the human 'footprint' on Antarctica has been revealed for the first time by new research which used satellite images to measure stations, huts, runways, waste sites and tourist camps at 158 locations. The study found that more than half of all large ice-free coastal areas of Antarctica have now been disturbed by human activity.

The UN has described the deep sea as “the largest source of species and ecosystem diversity on Earth.” Life thrives particularly on the vast expanses of sea floor known as abyssal plains, amid the submarine mountains that rise from them and around superheated springs.

Pacific salmon caught in Arctic waters and a tropical dolphin swimming off Vancouver Island are two tales of climate change filtering into Ocean Networks Canada. Anecdotes from witnesses and data collected by scientists will be part of an Ideafest event on Monday, March 4, that will give viewers a deeper understanding of what the warming climate means.

The data showed that a seabird ingesting a single piece of plastic had a 20 per cent chance of mortality, rising to 50 per cent for nine items and 100 per cent for 93 items.

Polyethylene used to make plastic shopping bags and cling film forms most of plastic found in coastal waters, according to marine scientists from University of Barcelona

In the Mariana Trench, the lowest point in any ocean, every tiny animal tested had plastic pollution hiding in its gut.