Increasing carbon dioxide in the air penetrates into the ocean and makes it more acidic, while robbing seawater of minerals that give shellfish their crunch. The West Coast is one of the first marine ecosystems to feel its effects. A new tool doesn’t alter that reality, but it does allow scientists to better understand what’s happening and provide data to help the shellfish industry adapt to these changes.
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Daniel Schindler, a University of Washington fisheries ecologist who explores aquatic ecosystem dynamics, has been named the 2015 Frank Rigler Award recipient. The award is the highest honor given by the Society of Canadian Limnologists and recognizes major achievements in the field of limnology by Canadians or those working in Canada, the society says. Schindler, born in Ontario, holds dual U.S.
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The largest migration on the planet is the movement of small animals from the surface of the open ocean, where they feed on plants under cover of darkness, to the sunless depths where they hide from predators during the day. University of Washington researchers have found that this regular migration helps shape our oceans. During the daylight hours below the surface the animals release ammonia, the equivalent of our urine, that turns out to play a significant role in marine chemistry, particularly in low-oxygen zones.
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Populations of the iconic California blue whale have rebounded to near historic levels, a remarkable achievement considering the whales were hunted almost to extinction in the past. The study was lead by graduate student Cole Monnahan and coauthored by aquatic and fisheries sciences professors Trevor Branch and André Punt, and showcases a success story when it comes to conservation management.
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One of Arizona’s largest watersheds – home to many native species of fish already threatened by extinction – is providing a grim snapshot of what could happen to watersheds and fish in arid areas around the world as climate warming occurs. New research by scientists in the College of the Environment and Ohio State University suggests that by 2050, one-fifth more streams will dry up along the Verde River Basin in Arizona each season, and at least a quarter more days with no water flow — a problem when fish are trying to reach spawning habitats and refuges where water still remains.
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