Where do birds go during the colder months? Do we see different species of birds here in Seattle during the winter versus during the summer? Where are the best spots to catch a glimpse of birds? Luckily for bird enthusiasts, winter in the Pacific Northwest is just as great for bird watching as summer, but with some key differences. Olivia Sanderfoot, who recently defended her Ph.D.
Read more »Tim Essington to serve as director of the School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences
The UW College of the Environment is pleased to announce that Professor Tim Essington has agreed to serve for a five-year term as director of the School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, effective July 1, 2022. Essington is a fisheries ecologist, whose research focuses on the application of ecological knowledge to sustain fisheries and ecosystems. He has an active research program in Puget Sound examining consequences of climate change, hypoxia, and nearshore restoration on food webs, and he is also well known for his global syntheses of fish and fisheries data to reveal ecosystem responses to fishing.
Read more »Dean Emerita Lisa Graumlich awarded Seattle Aquarium Sylvia Earle Medal
UW School of Environmental and Forest Sciences professor and College of the Environment Dean Emerita Lisa Graumlich has been awarded the 2022 Seattle Aquarium Silvia Earle Medal, which honors individuals whose leadership and lifetime accomplishments reflect and advance the mission of the Seattle Aquarium. The medal was presented as part of the aquarium’s annual Ocean Conservation Honors event. Graumlich has devoted her career to studying the causes and impacts of climate change, with a special focus on using paleoecological records such as tree-rings to understand the magnitude of human impacts.
Read more »Spring blooms to watch for in the Seattle area
Though Seattle’s weather can be fickle in the spring, with fleeting hints of warmth between long spells of cold and rain, the Puget Sound region is home to stunning buds and blossoms that remind locals summer is just around the corner. “Spring is my favorite time of the year for observing plants, because I love the anticipation and getting to watch things change week to week,” said Ray Larson, curator of Living Collections at the UW Botanic Gardens.
Read more »Moon jellies appear to be gobbling up zooplankton in Puget Sound
Swarms of jellies have been seen more frequently in Puget Sound over the past several decades, and some biologists speculate these fast-growing jellyfish will do especially well in the warmer oceans of the future. Moon jellies, or Aurelia labiata, are unique among the various jellyfish species inhabiting Puget Sound in that they form vast blooms. When populations spike, they can take over a single bay — creating a dramatic sight.
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