Scientists from the Salk Institute and Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego say genomically informed restoration is the way forward for saving our oceans. The researchers used advanced genomic and transcriptomic technologies to investigate a hybrid eelgrass from San Diego's Mission Bay that is a cross between the shallow-water Zostera marina and its deeper-water cousin, Zostera pacifica, whose tolerance for low-light conditions is a favorable trait as coastal waters become increasingly murky. This genomic profile could make the new hybrid seagrass a candidate for future coastal restoration efforts in California and beyond.

William & Mary’s Batten School of Coastal & Marine Sciences & VIMS has awarded $1.8 million to 13 organizations throughout the U.S. focused on the removal of derelict fishing gear, which poses a significant threat to the sustainability of coastal and marine environments and the fishing industries from which they originate. This is the second year of subawards distributed through the National Fishing Trap Removal, Assessment and Prevention (TRAP) Program. 

Russell B Connelly is a postgraduate researcher and marine biologist at the School of Life Sciences of the University of Essex. After completing a BSc and MRes at the University of Essex, he began a PhD at the same university, focusing on new monitoring techniques for populations of UK seahorse species.

Together with colleagues, he recently published a study in Frontiers in Marine Science describing remarkable, never-before-seen geometric clusters of nests of cryonotothenioid fish, also known as icefish. These were first filmed 2019 by the remotely operated vehicle ‘Lassie’  operating from the ship SA Agulhas II in the Western Weddell near the Sea Larsen C Ice Shelf. In this editorial, he summarizes their discovery and its importance.

QUT researchers have uncovered critical biological processes that allow corals attach to a reef in a finding that could significantly improve coral restoration efforts worldwide.

The “baby boom” of ochre sea stars that followed a population crash a decade ago is enabling the species to recover on the Oregon Coast.

The study reveals that OIF promotes marine carbon sinks by adding iron to “high-nutrient, low-chlorophyll” marine regions (e.g., the Southern Ocean), which enhances the photosynthesis of surface phytoplankton and thereby increases marine carbon sinks. In contrast, AOA improves seawater alkalinity by adding alkaline materials (such as limestone) to the ocean; through carbonate chemical processes, this method drives the ocean to absorb more CO₂ from the atmosphere.

Researchers are redefining the nutritional value of prey. Studying the dynamics of sea lion predators and their prey, the researchers found that not all prey are the same — even those of similar size and weight of the same species — offering new perspectives for understanding ocean food resources.

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have uncovered the first natural example of granular jamming, a process where loose particles lock into place under pressure, in the skeleton of a soft coral. The discovery explains a long-observed mystery in biology and could inspire new designs for medical devices, robotics and protective gear.