The dramatic melting of Arctic sea ice due to climate change means more commercial ships than ever before are traveling through the Bering Strait, a remote marine gateway located between the United States and Russia. At its narrowest point, the strait is only 55 miles wide and is the only route between the Pacific and Arctic oceans.
Today, we are launching a new web story that outlines the environmental impacts of increased shipping in the Bering Strait region—and offers recommendations for how to tackle these issues. There’s no time to waste. Vessel traffic increased 150% in these waters between 2008 and 2018 and could double by 2030. More than 90% of world trade is carried out by sea, and the Arctic will only become more attractive to shipping companies as sea ice melts.
The Arctic is changing and vessel traffic is poised to grow rapidly in the Bering Strait region. But if we act now, we can put in place effective measures to reduce the risks of disastrous oil spills and other shipping-related accidents. We hope this web story inspires you to speak up on behalf of the remarkable Bering Strait region.
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The Gullah/Geechee Nation is led by Chieftess and Head-of-State, Queen Quet Marquetta L. Goodwine.She has recently authored two new booksand Ocean Conservancy’s Ocean Acidification Program Manager, Ryan Ono, was able to catch up with her to discuss the new publications, and get the latest update on the Gullah/Geechee Nation’s latest ocean conservation efforts.
Ryan Ono: You’ve written multiple books prior to these two. Can you talk a little about these books and how they’re different from your others? How do you hope these books will help connect people beyond the Gullah/Geechee to the environment?
Queen Quet: Actually, I have 15 books now in print including two children’s books that were released after the novels “Gwine Home” and “We Journey.” Both of these are new genres for me. I have primarily focused on history books over the years, I have also edited two Gullah/Geechee anthologies. The novels are written for young adults and adults, and the children’s books are geared toward elementary school students and their parents. All four of these books take people on journeys into the environment of the Sea Islands and they learn about the various things that we are doing to deal with sea level rise, hurricanes, destructionment and keeping our sea life (such as our loggerhead turtles) protected. Gullah/Geechee cultural heritage is central to each story. I want to help youths get inspired to love the outdoors and to not only learn from it, but live in balance with it.
Quet: Communicating via any written medium leaves things open to the imagination of the person reading the book. They can often create images of the characters and the environment in their own minds. In person, we have technology that we can bring in to help convey stories nowadays. So, we may show films on screens or show slides instead of letting people imagine things. I believe too much of that, like PowerPoint, eliminate the vast creativity that comes as the brain gets trained to read new things and envisions them. So, writing and presenting my culture in books brings Gullah/Geechee literally into the minds and hearts of more people. The children’s book illustrations by Quadré Stuckey and Al Hawkins also help to inspire children to want to draw, write and tell their own stories. I love seeing via my mind’s eye and pray readers will be inspired to do so too.
Ono:Being a chieftess and queen must carry some heavy responsibilities, so can you tell me a little of what your roles and duties are to the Gullah/Geechee people?
Quet: WOW! Yes, I do have a LOT of responsibilities as the Queen and Chieftess of the Gullah/Geechee Nation. These include going to the United Nations to participate in global meetings to ensure the work that is being done to protect the human rights of groups around the world. I have also been actively participating in insuring the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are achieved. I have to participate in national and international conferences. I also work on making sure that laws are changed or new ones are not enacted that will have negative impacts on my people and our coast. I have to file cases and go to court on behalf of Gullah/Geechees so that our land and water rights are protected. I hosted numerous events annually in order to engage with my people and share information that is critical to the continuation of our culture.
Quet: Since I spoke before Congress, we have submitted a legal case to stop seismic gun testing in the Atlantic and we have had some good news on how that is progressing in our favor. I was also invited to speak before the South Carolina General Assembly to protect our waterways and our way of life and to prevent offshore drilling. South Carolina voted not to allow any infrastructure for offshore drilling to be built on our shore. I have also been asked to speak at several climate action rallies and I got to open the National Adaptation Forum and to speak at the UN Ocean Action Summit in Korea. We are also about to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Gullah/Geechee Fishing Association and all these victories that partners like the Ocean Conservancy have helped us to achieve. Thousands more people are aware of us and support us now. Tenki Tenki!
Ono: What can Ocean Conservancy members do to learn more and support your efforts?
Quet:They can host screenings of my new documentary. I would love the Ocean Conservancy members to follow www.GullahGeecheeNation.com and the 20th Anniversary of the Gullah/Geechee Nation events with #GullahGeechee2020. They can make donations and come down for Gullah/Geechee Volunteer Month in March to work with us too.
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This blog was written by Stan Senner, Vice President for Bird Conservation at the National Audubon Society. During the BP Deepwater Horizon oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, he was Director of Conservation Science at Ocean Conservancy and helped the lead organization’s response to the disaster.
The Trump administration just announced its latest in a long list of anti-conservation policies. It is proposing a new rule that will gut the bedrock of American bird conservation. Signed into law in 1918, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) has saved millions of birds, and rescued species like the Snowy Egret and Wood Duck that were on a path to extinction.
At the same time, a new bill in Congress that defends MBTA has the bird-lovers at Audubon cheering. In an effort to defend and strengthen the law, a bipartisan group of cosponsors in the U.S. House of Representatives, led by Rep. Alan Lowenthal (D-CA), recently introduced H.R. 5552, the Migratory Bird Protection Act. The new bill will reaffirm current law while creating more certainty for business and incentivizing innovation to protect birds.
The fact is, the Administration’s rollback of the MBTA reverses the decades-long positions of previous Republican and Democratic administrations. Under the proposed rule industries get a free pass for killing birds due to hazards such as oil spills and oil waste pits, power line collisions and electrocutions, toxic mining ponds and more. This new bill will once again, in plain language, require industry to take proactive measures to reduce bird deaths.
Thanks to the MBTA, BP paid a criminal fine of $100 million, which along with other funds paid by BP for damaged natural resources, are being used to help conserve birds and their habitats on the Gulf coast and at nesting and resting areas in the interior of the country. Following the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill, the Exxon Corporation also paid a large MBTA fine for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of seabirds in Prince William Sound and the Gulf of Alaska.
The MBTA has been the key incentivize to encourage industry to work cooperatively with the government to develop and implement practices that save birds, such as covering oil waste pits and flagging power lines. And this new bill comes at a critical time—we’ve lost 3 billion birds in the last 50 years, and Audubon science shows that two-thirds of North American bird species are at risk of extinction due to climate change.
Birds bring together people from all walks of life, much like the ocean, so it’s no surprise that the Migratory Bird Protection Act thus far has the support of 175 organizations including Ocean Conservancy. The bill has passed out of the House Natural Resources Committee, and we will be working with our network, our partners and our leaders in Congress to defend America’s most important bird law.
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Most beach-goers will recognize the shallow pools that emerge during low tide that contain ocean animals like barnacles, crabs and sea stars. For many people (including myself!), their earliest exposure to the ocean was through playing in tide pools, searching for critters to discover. But how much do you actually know about tide pools? Read on to learn what tide pools are, how they form and how animals survive and thrive in them.
Tide pools are small pockets of water that form during the tidal cycles. Every day, the gravitational pulls of the sun and moon cause changes in sea level called tides. The area of the shore that is more exposed during low tides and covered during high tides is called the intertidal zone, and this is where you find tide pools! When the ocean recedes during low tide, some water remains trapped in holes, slopes and cracks on the shore. Any animals that were in that water get trapped too—at least until high tide!
Who lives in tide pools?
Life in a tide pool isn’t easy. Although it might seem like a cozy spot for an ocean animal to nestle down, they can leave animals exposed to predators and other threats. First, tide pools can get pretty toasty with the sun beating down on them for hours during the day, so animals need to be able to withstand warm temperatures (and big temperature changes). Second, oxygen levels can drop over time without the flow of fresh seawater. Lastly, tide pools are the perfect place for predators to hunt for a snack—it’s hard for the prey to escape! Sea birds, crabs and other predators can walk from pool to pool, looking for their next meal.
So, which animals are hearty enough to survive the tide pool thunder dome? In high intertidal zones, or ones that are furthest away from the sea line at high tide, you’ll find many animals who have shells that can help them withstand the sun and waves. That includes mussels, barnacles, snails and crabs. Middle intertidal zones get a little more time under the water, and includes animals like sea stars, urchins and sea anemones.
Tide pools can be found in mudflats, sandy beaches and rocky shorelines (where there are lots of crevices in the rock). In fact, some of the United States’ best tide pools are on rocky coasts, like in the Olympic Peninsula, Monterey Bay and Acadia National Park. Tide pools are an amazing way to see sea life up close, but it’s important to do so in a way that is respectful to the animals and ecosystem. Here are a few tips, courtesy of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for enjoying tide pools:
Check out when low tide is in your area online. The best time to visit tide pools is at low tide!
Wear shoes with a good grip, as rocks can be dangerously slippery during low tide.
Avoid touching plants or animals. Be careful where you walk so as not to crush any critters or disturb small rocks.
Featured Picture: A rockfish searches for a place to hide off the coast of Southern California. Photo courtesy of NOAA.
By Samuel Georgian, Marine Biogeographer at Marine Conservation Institute
The next time you order fish at a restaurant, pull out your phone for a second and research where it might have come from (Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch app may help you here). The answer may just surprise you. While many fisheries operate close to shore and in shallow waters (maybe you can even see the fishing boat from your table), as near-shore fisheries collapse, more and more operations are moving offshore and into deeper waters. Surprisingly, your dinner may have been scooped up from one of the most remote places on the planet – the top of a seamount. Seamounts are massive undersea volcanoes that support biodiverse ecosystems teeming with life in the often otherwise sparsely populated deep sea. Why fish remote places like seamounts? Seamounts often house abundant fields of deep-sea corals and sponges, which in turn create three-dimensional habitat structures that are invaluable for a wide array of fish and invertebrates, including many commercially-fished species. Fisheries often target seamounts because fish aggregate on their slopes, summits, and waters above as they use these ecosystems as key nursery, feeding, and reproductive grounds. The aptly named rockfish are commonly found in seamount habitats, and many species – including the Pacific rockfish (Sebastes alutus), the bocaccio (Sebastes paucispinis), and the yelloweye rockfish (Sebastes ruberrimus), are frequently fished in Californian waters (although you may see all of them listed on the menu as ‘red snapper’).
A school of widow rockfish swim above a colorful bank of sponges and anemones at Cordell Bank. Photo courtesy of NOAA.
Unfortunately, the latest research confirms what we already knew: bottom fishing on seamounts is incredibly destructive to the coral and sponge ecosystems that these fish rely on. In a recent paper published in Marine Policy, the authors looked for evidence that bottom-contact fisheries had on seamount habitats in the North Pacific Ocean. What they found was sad, but not surprising: barren stretches of seafloor with nothing but scars from fishing gear, coral colonies reduced to rubble, lost or abandoned fishing gear, and the notable absence of previously abundant coral species. In many cases, bottom-contact fishing involves bottom trawling, where a large weighted net is dragged along the seafloor, indiscriminately catching the targeted fish species along with unwanted bycatch including corals, sponges, and other fish. Bottom-trawling is an incredibly destructive fishing method capable of destroying entire, ancient ecosystems in one pass. While the authors of this study – like many before them – recommend that seamounts be closed to these fisheries, the vast majority of seamounts around the world do not have any meaningful protections in place. Marine Conservation Institute is currently working to protect the 60+ seamounts off the coast of California from fisheries, oil and gas development, future deep-sea mining, and climate change. Currently, only one of the seamounts offshore California’s coast is protected within federal sanctuary boundaries (Davidson Seamount in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary), leaving the rest vulnerable to human pressures.
So, the next time you eat fish, take a closer look at what type of fish it is, and where it was taken from. Spare a thought for the fragile ecosystem that may have been damaged along the way.
from On the Tide https://ift.tt/2wBNnVN https://ift.tt/2PpaMk2
In the area surrounding the Bering Strait, the winters of 2017-18 and 2018-19 were scary even by recent standards of rapid change. Sea ice was missing from the northern Bering Sea in mid-winter, bowhead whales stayed north of the Bering Strait for much of the winter and seals were absent from much of their usual range. Without the protection of the ice, coastal communities were exposed to big waves from winter storms, causing extensive damage in some cases.
Summer seasons have also been bizarre. Hunters in Kotzebue, Alaska, report offshore water temperatures of 64°F, far above the usual near-freezing waters of only a few years ago. Five times as many juvenile Arctic cod thronged the Chukchi Sea in the summer of 2017 than were found in 2012, and pink salmon numbers in the northern Bering Sea were double those of any previous year on record. Harmful algal blooms are now being seen in the region, posing a threat to wildlife and humans alike.
I worked recently with 19 other scientists to put together the many pieces of change we are seeing in the region. Our results have just been published in Nature Climate Change. The story is still unfolding, but we did not want to wait until later to try to make sense of something that had already happened. We wanted to draw attention to the changes now, while they are underway and we can still study and learn.
There is much we can learn by paying close attention to the nature of ecosystem change. We knew the region was one of the fastest-warming on the planet, but we still did not expect such rapid loss of sea ice and warming of water. Physical changes will lead to biological changes and both will affect human communities, but we do not really know how these changes cascade through an ecosystem.
Of course, rapid changes are more than just a scientific curiosity. They have far-reaching consequences. And scientists are not the only ones sounding the alarm.
In December 2019, Indigenous peoples from the northern Bering Sea region contributed to the Arctic Report Cards issued annually by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. After listing the many things changing in their home regions, this team of authors wrote:
“Our young children today are seeing so much change, but it is difficult for them to understand the pace. We are losing so much of our culture and connections to the resources from our ocean and lands.”
If our climate were the only thing changing, the challenge would be big enough. But commercial shipping, resource development, fisheries, tourism and more, are increasing too. They bring with them the potential for jobs and revenue, but also the likelihood of further disruption to the fishes, birds and marine mammals whose abundance provides for coastal residents.
As a scientist, my work is to document and try to understand these changes. In my role at Ocean Conservancy, I try also to find ways to protect Arctic waters, species and communities. Combatting climate change will take global action, which is important. More locally, we can also push for adequate protections from industrial activities, for sensible conservation measures that sustain the abundance that Arctic peoples depend on, and for greater awareness of how much is at stake, for the Bering Strait and for the world.
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BSH ship DENEB recovered GEOMAR and HZG sensor nodeTwo racks equipped with environmental sensors and installations for a power supply disappeared without trace at the end of August 2019. This equipment was installed by the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel and the Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht Centre for Materials and Coastal Research on the seafloor in a restricted area at the exit of Eckernförde Bay. Now, with the help of the survey, wreck search and research vessel (VWFS) DENEB of the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH), one of the racks was found and recovered. It was located north-northeast of its original location, upside down on the seabed at a depth of about 20 metres.
from "Future Ocean" – News https://ift.tt/2PkYQ2x https://ift.tt/eA8V8J
You may have heard of invasive species before—lionfish are swimming through coral reefs, boa constrictors are sneaking through the Everglades and nutria are plowing through wetlands in the Gulf. But what are invasive species, really? In honor of National Invasive Species Awareness week, we’re here to give you the lowdown on invasive species: what they are, how they got here and what you can do to help.
So, what are invasive species?
Invasive species are species that are not native to an ecosystem, and whose introduction causes harm (or is likely to cause harm) to humans, the environment or the economy. It’s important to note the distinction between invasive and non-native: all invasive species are non-native, but not all non-native species are invasive. A plant or animal can be introduced but not proliferate or cause harm. As soon as that organism starts to cause harm, it is classified as invasive.
In order to survive and reproduce in a new habitat, invasive species need to easily adapt to unfamiliar environments. They’re typically generalists, meaning they’re not picky eaters, and reproduce quickly. Once they become established in an ecosystem, they can be very hard to get rid of.
Invasive species are one of the biggest threats facing our environment today. 42% of species that are listed as Threatened or Endangered are at risk due to invasive species. Also, invasive species account for $1.4 trillion in damage annually.
Invasive species can compete with native species for food, disrupt the local food chain, introduce new diseases, alter the habitat and clog waterways. They can also have massive implications for local economies. For example, European green crabs thrive in their invaded range—they will practically try to eat anything their size or smaller, and one crab can consume three-dozen small mussels a day. They’re expertly skilled at digging up and cracking young clams and oysters, and are suspected to be primarily responsible for shutting down commercial clam harvesting in parts of Maine.
How do they get here?
Release of non-native species in the environment can be intentional or unintentional. Some marine invasive species can hitchhike on ships or in ballast water (like the zebra mussel who was released by ships into the Great Lakes and cause about $1 billion in damage annually). And in a time of massive global trade where 45,000 cargo ships move more than 10 billion tons of ballast water worldwide each year, conditions are ripe for invasive species to spread. Every day, about 7,000 species might be transported in ballast tanks. Of course, not all of these will survive in a new location, but all it takes is a few hearty holdouts to cause damage.
They can also be intentionally introduced. Some pet owners who can no longer take care of their fish will release them into the wild. This is not only bad for the fish (most likely the fish be distressed and/or consumed by native fish), but exotic fish could introduce disease, prey on native fish or become established in their new environment. Currently, at least 185 different species of exotic fish have been found in United States waters, and 75 of these species are known to have breeding populations. More than half of these introductions are from people releasing aquarium fish into the wild.
Fortunately, there are ways you can help combat invasive species right now! Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Don’t release your pets. This is an easy one! If you can no longer care for your pet, many shelters and pet stores will take them back. It’s better for the animal (don’t listen to Finding Nemo on this one—dumping your fish back in the ocean is bad news!)
Clean, drain, dry: After using your motorboat, kayak, paddle board or scuba equipment, be sure to remove any attached mud or plants. And be thorough: even tiny plant fragments could be home to larvae of invasive species! Then, drain all water from bait buckets, motors, scuba gear, waders and any other object that might hold liquid.
Keep an eye out: If you see a species you don’t recognize while on a hike, scuba diving or kayaking, take a photo. Then follow up with a park ranger or other expert. Early detection of non-native species is key to keeping them from becoming invasive.
Join removal efforts: No matter where you live, chances are you’ll be able to find invasive species volunteer opportunities nearby. Check out your closest state or national park’s website to see if they host invasive species walks. Many organize half-day hikes where you learn to identify and removal invasive plants. It’s easy to combine invasive species removal with other recreation, too—you can hire guides to spearfish for lionfish, or bow hunt for snakehead, for example.
This National Invasive Species Awareness Week, take some time to learn about invasives in your area! We can all help combat this problem, one invasive species at a time.
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When I think of polar bears and what makes them so unique, one of the most identifying features that come to mind is, of course, their iconic white fur. But what would you say if I told you that their fur isn’t really white at all? In fact, it’s one of the best kept furry secrets of our friends in the Arctic—polar bear fur is actually transparent.
That’s right! Polar bear hair shafts are actually hollow, which allows the fur to reflect back the light of the sun. Much like ice, this reflection is what allows these bears to appear white or even yellow at times. It’s also thought that the transparency of their thick coats is designed to allow better heat absorption from the sun into their black skin beneath. This is particularly helpful when the temperature dips below -30° F in the Arctic. If you’ve ever seen a polar bear outside the Arctic, you may have noticed they seem a little green. In a warmer environment (like in a zoo), algae can actually grow inside these tiny hollow hairs. With a good filtration system though, even bears in captivity should be able to maintain their “white” fur.
In addition to a really dense layer of fat (approximately 2-4 inches!), polar bears also have two fur coats—one protective outer layer and one dense undercoat to help them survive in the Arctic’s harsh climate. This double layer provides not just insulation but camouflage amidst the snow which really helps them out when it comes to hunting.
Since polar bears rely so heavily on their coat for warmth, they are also pretty meticulous about keeping themselves clean. Dirty fur is simply not acceptable or effective in keeping them warm. They will typically roll in the snow or take a swim to clean up and cool down. Believe it or not, their fur coat is so good at insulation that even polar bears can overheat after a particularly grueling hunt or playtime with their pals.
Every year, Ocean Conservancy hosts artists-in-residence to highlight the beauty and power of the ocean and to educate communities about the role of the ocean. This year, Josie Iselin and Joan P. Bogart were selected, and are hosting a year-long show in Ocean Conservancy’s Santa Cruz office. The following is based on an interview I had with Joan, an incredible artist that uses printmaking to raise awareness on ocean and ecological preservation. Check out my interview with Josie to learn more about her work with marine algae.
A life along California’s coasts has taught Joan the importance of ecological preservation. Through printmaking, she has been able to connect with the ocean and her roots in Indonesia to show others the beauty that comes from awareness and conservation.
For those unfamiliar with printmaking, it’s a process of transferring an ink design from a matrix, such as a metal plate, polymer plate, woodblock or linoleum, to a surface (typically paper). In the case of Joan’s lino prints, she takes a block of linoleum, creates a design and carves out the design with specialized tools. Although drawing is a fundamental skill in art, the carving process must be meticulously planned to remove negative space since the positive space will leave the impression on paper (think of creating a drawing but in reverse). Once the carving is finished, the block is painted and pressed onto the paper surface to create a print or impression.
While the process may sound fairly straightforward on paper, Joan puts even more thought and consideration when creating her prints. Whether designing for commission or personal reasons, she takes the time to turn her work into a learning opportunity—to research and learn about her subject from where a particular species originates from to how it thrives. For the SEACoast logo design, Joan worked with the group to create a symbol of life above and below the tropical water line—Mangroves.
Mangroves are an important species to Southeast Asia and provide a variety of ecological, biophysical and socio-economic functions that many coastal populations depend upon. They have unique adaptations that allow them to live in saltwater environments and provide crucial habitat for many marine species. Besides providing protection and nutrients for wildlife, mangroves also help in treating polluted water, provide protection from coastal erosion and store large amounts of carbon dioxide (an important part in the fight against climate change).
Unfortunately, mangroves are at risk due to the rising growth of coastal development, sandy beaches and aquaculture. Since just the 1980s, global mangrove area has declined by 20%. Fortunately, due to artists like Joan, awareness around the importance of mangroves is spreading and there are worldwide efforts to preserve and restore mangrove habitats.
“Awareness and preservation exist in tandem and these two are crucial for motivating the next generation to protect natural habitats. It’s important to stay motivated in preservation by practicing it through art, reading, writing and learning and then applying it in the wild!” – Joan P. Bogart
While freediving in the waters of the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia’s Lady Elliot Island, photographer Kristian Laine spotted something that at first took him aback. Was his camera malfunctioning? Somehow, some way, the belly of the manta ray he was seeing through the lens appeared to be a vivid pink color. When Laine looked up from his camera to take another look, he realized his camera wasn’t glitching at all. With his own two eyes, he could see that the manta ray’s underbelly really did seem to be bright pink.
This isn’t the first time this specific ray has been spotted. Named after the goofy detective from the feature film Pink Panther, Inspector Clouseau is the only manta ever spotted with such a distinct tint, and has only been seen about ten times since it was first discovered in 2015. Measuring more than 10 feet long, the creature is truly a captivating specimen to anyone who comes across its photo.
The cause of this animal’s rosy hue is still being investigated today. Over the years, a number of potential origins have been proposed, from stress reactions to infections and even diets unusually rich in highly pigmented foods. According to a recent article in Smithsonian Magazine, Project Manta (a group dedicated to manta ray research and conservation) has suggested that the rosy tones seen on Clouseau’s belly may actually be caused by a genetic mutation affecting dermal pigmentation (the coloration of its skin).
According to those who have observed Clouseau, the animal has not displayed behaviors that signal it to be in any sort of distress, so at least at first glance, its spectacularly unique appearance probably isn’t causing it to experience majorly disruptive side effects. For now, scientists continue to study phenomena such as this, and those lucky enough to witness it are likely left without words at the splendor that nature presents … both in ways anticipated, and those completely unexpected.
For Floridians, water is in our DNA. We’re surrounded on three sides by the Gulf, the Florida Straits and the Atlantic Ocean; lakes and rivers and springs and swamps and glades riddle the state with freshwater. The interconnectedness of our freshwater and marine ecosystems is a keystone of the Floridian environment, and it’s something that I am extremely passionate about protecting.
That’s why I feel so privileged to work on behalf of Ocean Conservancy to help create a three-part documentary series, Ocean to the Everglades, to highlight the unique threats being faced by the South Florida aquatic environment.
These three short films, directed by Miamian Isaac Mead-Long, beautifully depict the connection between South Florida’s ocean and Everglades environments. It documents my travels across South Florida, examining the region’s unique environmental challenges and opportunities with local advocates and leaders including former Miami Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, former Frost Science Museum Curator of Aquarium Content & Marine Science Rivah Winters, Florida Bay fishing guide and host of Guiding Flow TV Benny Blanco and others.
The fates and futures of South Florida’s ocean and Everglades environments are deeply intertwined. We cannot save one without the other. At Ocean Conservancy, we aim to bring Floridians together to help conserve and restore Florida’s water environments, and we invite you to join us in this effort.
Florida’s coral reefs (known as the Florida Coral Reef Tract) are a natural jewel of enormous proportions. From end to end, they stretch 360 miles—making this tract the largest reef system in North America and the third largest in the world. Unfortunately, this beautiful ecosystem is facing numerous threats like disease epidemics, ocean trash and ocean acidification. And when our coral reefs are sick, we know that our Everglades must be sick as well.
The stories of sea level rise in the coastal Everglades are echoed in Florida’s cities. Fresh drinking water wells are becoming salty, home septic systems are failing from saltwater intrusion and in Miami, the streets are now regularly flooded on perfectly sunny days. The consequences of sea level rise could be dire for the Everglades. If sea levels rise just a few feet, vast portions of the Everglades might be lost forever.
If you want to find hope for the future of Florida, you can find it right in Biscayne Bay, in the shadow of Miami’s skyscrapers. Several restoration projects are happening right near these waters and they are just one small part of the larger, multi-decade and multi-billion dollar restoration effort. Across Florida, people are fighting for the future of our ocean, and our Everglades. If we want to keep the beating part of Florida alive, we must act now.
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It’s that time of year again. For many, Valentine’s Day is a chance to show their significant other affection with overpriced chocolate, romantic dinners and cards with cheesy love-related puns.
Here on land, cards and flowers are a widely-accepted way to show someone you care. But what about in the ocean? How do sea-dwelling critters woo their mates with no Hallmark stores to be found?
In honor of Valentine’s Day, we’re sharing some of the ocean’s suavest suitors. Trying to woo a partner of your own? Feel free to take notes!
Pufferfish: Paint them a mystery circle
Females are a sucker for artsy males—or at least, female pufferfish are. Some male pufferfish use their fins to create patterns in the sandy bottom. They kind of look like crop circles, but instead of fueling alien conspiracy theories, these circles fuel a female pufferfish’s love. The circles can take hours to make, after which the female will lay eggs in the center of the circle for the male to fertilize.
Seahorse: Ask them to dance then offer to carry the offspring
Seahorses have a pretty unique breeding ritual. Couples will greet each other every day with an intricate dance that involves mirroring each other’s movements, swimming side-by-side and more. This is a way to check in with the partner and make sure they’re ready to mate. When it comes time to breed, females place eggs in a small pouch on the male’s body. That’s right—the male seahorse takes the lead when it comes to the labor of childbirth. There are multiple breeding events throughout the season.
Anglerfish: Latch on and don’t let go
The male anglerfish gives all of himself to the female—literally. When a male anglerfish finds his partner, he bites into her and stays attached to her side. The male has one job: to fertilize the female. Eventually their bodies combine so that they share a circulatory system. He will eventually lose his eyes and fins, but will remain attached to the female and continue to provide sperm. The male stays attached until he dies, bringing a whole new meaning to “til death do us part.”
When it comes time to mate, Adelie penguins spend a lot of time building the perfect pebble nest to protect their eggs. As a courtship gesture, male penguins may bring pebbles to the females to add to their nests. Although some have suggested that a male will spend lots of time finding the perfect pebble and females choose their mate on pebble quality, that’s not entirely true. According to penguin researchers, oftentimes any pebble will do. Sometimes males and females will steal rocks from other couple’s nests, which is decidedly crafty.
This Valentine’s Day, take it from the ocean experts. Your sweetheart will appreciate the finer things, like pebbles, sand circles and attaching bodies to share a circulatory system. Go forth and woo them!
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You might not know it, but as corporations have tried to sell us all on tomorrow being THE day for love (and for us to hand over our money), what they’ve actually been selling us is the lifestyle of an albatross—or at least, the idealized life of an albatross.
If you’ve ever seen Blue Planet you’re probably familiar with albatross’ admirable “monogamy.” When searching for a mate, albatross do a little dance, make a little love, get down for life. Every year, after wandering far and wide across the ocean, albatross will return to the same partner, perform their same secret dance and start nesting. Both parents will also contribute equally when it comes time to lay an egg and raise a chick. This sounds like the Hallmark dream, right?
Wrong!
While albatross are socially monogamous (meaning they will remain committed to one partner) the truth is they get around when no one else is watching. To us, this may sound like cheating, but in the world of science, it’s known as “extra-pair copulation,” or EPC. Albatross will mate with another bird that is not their life partner all while maintaining that life bond with said partner. While to some people this may seem nefarious, it isn’t uncommon in the natural world (but I do support hating on cheating exes in the human world!).
Even though 92% of bird species are socially monogamous (and in seabirds that rate can rise to 100%) most also engage in EPC. This mating strategy typically favors males (of course) by allowing bachelors to still mate and pass on their legacy to the next generation of birds; but females have also been known to solicit a dalliance. If you’ve got game, don’t waste it, ladies! And just for reference, the rate of social monogamy in mammals rests at a low 3-5%.
But what is more uncommon than an avian one-night stand is what’s called “extra-pair paternity,” which is when EPC actually “succeeds” and leads to a chick being born. In one study of albatross, the rate of extra-pair paternity was 14-24% across three back-to-back breeding seasons.
Even in the face of philandering, albatross still maintain not only social monogamy, but lifelong social monogamy. Most bird species build partnerships with a mate that may last only one breeding season, which probably sounds familiar to pretty much every human on Earth. But albatross put our fickle hearts to shame and maintain their relationships until death do they part—no matter what.
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Despite their size, microplastics are a big deal. We know that these tiny pieces of plastic (less than 5mm in size) are pretty much everywhere—from Arctic ice to the bottom of the ocean and even inside some of the sea’s smallest organisms. What’s less clear is what this all means. What kinds of impacts do microplastics have on ocean life? Do different types of plastics have different impacts? Are some plastics more harmful than others? In what quantities?
Dr. Chelsea Rochman (Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto and science advisor at Ocean Conservancy) and her PhD student Kennedy Bucci recently undertook a thorough review of the body of science on plastic pollution to help answer those very questions. The results were published in the Journal of Applied Ecology last month.
Of the nearly 200 different laboratory tests out there evaluating the impacts of plastics on animals, just more than 10% used microfibers, while a whopping 80% used plastic spheres. This matters for two reasons. First, we know that microfibers are the most common type of microplastic in nature, so if we want to understand the real-world impacts of microplastic pollution, microfibers might be the best place to start. Second, Chelsea and Kennedy’s study found that negative impacts were detected in a majority (62%) of the tests conducted using microfibers, but in less than half of tests that used plastic spheres, and just 21% of the tests using plastic fragments. It raises the possibility that studies would detect more impacts of plastic pollution if they used microfibers instead.
We won’t know for sure without more science, and the good news is that more science is underway. Publications are coming out every day providing more information about the contamination and effects of microplastics. Moreover, another PhD student in Chelsea’s Lab, Lisa Erdle, is running experiments with microfibers as we speak.
So, what now? While we wait for more science to further inform effects, we still have enough evidence to act. When it comes to microfibers specifically, some effective solutions exist to help stem the tide of microfiber pollution. For example, a 2019 paper that Chelsea, I and other colleagues published in the Marine Pollution Bulletin found that putting filters on washing machines could reduce the flow of microfibers from synthetic fabrics by 87%. And of course, we can all simply wash our clothes a little less (which has the added sustainability benefit of making them last longer, too). A fish might thank you for it!
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