(From Reef Environmental Education Foundation eNews) REEF’s Grouper Moon Project, ongoing since 2001, was recently featured in Scientific American as a model for natural resource science. The project is a powerful collaboration between scientists at REEF, Cayman Islands Department of Environment, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and Oregon State University, with input from Caymanian fishermen and support by local businesses. The work has … Read More

On August 27 a team of scientists and explorers will travel aboard the R/V Chapman to the uninhabited island of Klein Curaçao as part of a series of oceanographic expeditions designed to document the health and biodiversity of shallow and deep reef ecosystems. The expedition will explore the mesophotic zone — the furthest the sun can penetrate the ocean. “These … Read More

As an assignment for this year’s benthic ecology class,  Lisa Levin asked the students to create a science blog.  The topics cover changing coral reefs and their ecosystems services, climate change and the toxic relationship in corals, the loss of Mexico’s mangrove forests, jellyfish as a cuisine,  “marine vomit” and more. These are now posted on the CMBC Blog: A … Read More

Nineteen Master of Advanced Studies in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation successfully presented their capstone research at a the annual symposium earlier this week. If you missed any part of the day long event, it has been recorded and is available here: http://blink.ucsd.edu/technology/media/services/webcast/scripps/scripps-2018.html For a list of this year’s capstones and order of presentation, please visit: https://cmbc.ucsd.edu/about/events/

Dr. Jennifer Smith was recently interviewed for a Scientist Spotlight in Explorations Now. The article, “A Scientist’s Life: Dr. Jennifer Smith,” highlights Dr. Smith’s research with emphasis on the technological advances that influence how we study coral reefs. See the full interview here.

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

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

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

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