How “Marine Vomit” is Slowly Destroying this New England Fishery

Benthic Ecology blog post by Christina Jayne Ithaca, NEW YORK – What is slimy, squishy, less than an inch long, and grows by forming a carpet of individuals on the sea floor off New England? It’s an invasive sea squirt — called “Marine Vomit”, of course. And one species in particular has taken over 140 square miles of sea floor … Read More

“Little bit of that good old global warming”

Not for Crabs Benthic ecology blog by:  Olivia Soares Pereira Global warming and climate change: four words that we have been hearing a lot in the past years, and that big round question comes up: is global warming for real? Some believe it is a hoax “created by and for the Chinese to make United States manufacturing non-competitive”. Scientists say … Read More

Home sweet plastic?

Marine plastic pollution transforms benthic ecosystems Benthic Ecology post by Jessica Sandoval When we think of home, perhaps the first image that comes to mind is not a recycling bin nor an old tire. However, these items can easily become home to many marine animals on the sea floor. How do our plastic goods make their way to the sea … Read More

Is jellyfish cuisine a viable population management solution?

Benthic ecology blog post by: Leah Werner As man’s reach extends across the planet to the detriment of millions of species, select species are taking full advantage of the new territories and food resources. Jellyfish are one of these. And as a consequence, a new picture of their dominance is emerging. Local jellyfish blooms are increasing in numerous locations across … Read More

The Key to Successfully Conserving Our Salt Marshes

Benthic Ecology Blog Post by: Natalie Posdalljian Coastal ecosystems are suffering rapid decline and increased degradation as a result of human disturbances. Finding successful solutions for conserving and protecting important habitats is critical. Formerly perceived as coastal ‘wastelands’, salt marshes are one of the most underappreciated coastal systems. In addition to housing a wide variety of flora and fauna, salt … Read More

New inhabitants of seafloor and shoreline habitats in Central California surprise researchers, provide new insight into valuable coastline

Benthic Ecology Blog Post by Tyler Hee Researchers have found surprising abundances of non-native species in several intertidal habitats (the area of shore exposed at low-tide and submerged at high-tide) and subtidal habitats (the shallow are just below the intertidal) along the important, exposed coastline of Central California. Watersipora a non-native group of bryozoans, or marine invertebrates that live in … Read More

Are we changing coral reefs and the ecosystem services they provide?

Benthic Ecology Blog Post by Travis Courtney Coral reefs provide about half a billion people around the world with food, coastal protection, building materials, and/or income (1). Thirty million of those people live on atolls and are nearly entirely dependent on the ecosystem services provided by coral reefs for their livelihood (1). Despite their great importance, coral cover has declined … Read More

Loss of Mexico’s Valuable Mangrove Forests

Benthic Ecology Blog Post by Madelin Andersen Mangroves are marine trees that form coastal wetlands known as mangrove forests and can be found around the world in tropical and sub-tropical climates. Mangroves have evolved to survive in coastal wetland environments where the salt and oxygen poor soil makes it impossible for other plants to live. Mangroves thrive in these conditions … Read More

The Missing Link in Reef Recycling

Benthic Ecology Blog Post by Michelle Loewe What We Know The first goal of any living thing is to stay alive. Whether it be to stay alive long enough to reproduce, or to stay alive long enough to pay off your student loans, no matter the organism, the goal is to stay alive. Of course, a very large component of … Read More