Sea Stars in Trouble

Off the Pacific coast, sea stars are in trouble. A virus has emerged that is killing a vast amount of the population of twenty different types of sea stars. Researchers know that the disease has been around for seventy two years, but before past year, it was never a threat to sea stars as a species. Studying the environmental changes of species is nothing new for scientists, who use older data/evidence to come to conclusions on the changes of species due to the environment (i.e. Bald Eagles). Three theories that scientists have on the emergence of the disease are: overpopulation, environmental changes, and the mutation of the virus to become more widespread/ dangerous. The virus is spread by the ocean currents, and sediment, which carry the virus to new ecosystems and immediately creating an impact on the local ecology. One scientist stated, "10 million viruses in a drop of seawater, so discovering the virus associated with a marine disease can be like looking for a needle in a haystack" (Sciencedaily), this means that detecting the specific type of virus causing the problem can be difficult because of all the possible combinations of viruses. 


"Virus Devastating Sea Stars on Pacific Coast Identified." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, n.d. Web. 01 Dec. 2014.

Amphibious Ichthysoaur discovered

Researchers at the University of California David recently discovered the first amphibious ichthysoaur fossil. This animal existed 250 million years ago, and there had never been a fossil seen of it before. It is one of the ancestors of marine reptiles, a link in their evolution to the sea. This ichthysoaur fossil has oddly large flippers for sea like movement on land. The length of the fossil is 1.5 meters long, and it is thought to be from the Triassic period. Its bones are also heavier than other ichthysoaur relatives discovered. This encourages the theory that these animals came from land before moving to the sea. Scientists say it is important also because this fossil is from four million years after the worst destruction of life on Earth. They believe that it indicates a time frame for theses animals to adapt and recover in different ways from the tragedy.





"First Amphibious Ichthyosaur Discovered, Filling Evolutionary Gap." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, n.d. Web. 18 Nov. 2014.

Sulfate in Ancitent oceans

Scientists have recently discovered that modern day sulfur levels (in the ocean) are way higher than in ancient times. This is important because sulfur is regarded as one of the key components for life, one of the most important biological components. Without sulfur, life is not able to grow and evolve as rapidly, or effectively. This would explain why the prehistoric oceans and its marine life were so different from our modern day oceans/marine life. Scientists found that sulfur levels were measured at 200 micro molar in certain concentrations vital to marine life. Compared to today's readings of thousands higher of micro molar. The researchers found this information by taking the fingerprints (weird!) of rocks that date back to prehistoric times. These rocks resonate sulfur isotopes and with the proper technology, can indicate levels of sulfur from thousands of years ago. This is helpful for scientists to understand the history of our oceans and how they changed/ grew over the Earth's lifetime.

 



"Life in Earth’s Primordial Sea Was Starved for Sulfate." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2014.

Breathing sand: New measurement technique detects oxygen supply to bottom of North Sea

Scientists have been examining the bottom of the North Sea for a while due to the almost zero life on the sea floor. More than two thirds of the bottom of the North sea are sand, leading to little oxygen being produced down blow. There has been evidence over the past few years of oxygen content decreasing, due to the little life at the bottom of the ocean, and the almost nonexistent plant life.What scientists couldn't count until now,  because their technology was not advanced enough, was the little changes at the bottom of the ocean. The ripple of shells as they moved with the current. They now use a technique called the "eddy-correlation". They have found that oxygen levels change the most when the important tides come in, changing the oxygen content with movement. Shifting the sand, and creating oxygen bubbles. With this new technology, scientists can now accurately measure the North Sea's oxygen levels.


http://www.worldatlas.com/aatlas/infopage/northsea.htm
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/10/141020105329.htm

Impact of Offshore Wind Farms on Ocean Life

Wind farming is a very valuable renewable energy resource. One problem with it is many people's aversions as to how they look. Their size and appearance is ugly and obscuring the landscape to some. This is why scientists have been researching the possibilities of wind farming in the ocean. Where there is almost always a guaranteed breeze, and nobody to complain about the view, well almost nobody. The only thing we haven't taken into account is the marine life's reaction to the wind turbines, and their construction, which is loud. Many scientists believe that noises from construction could be so loud and foreign to fish, they could go deaf. But, the turbines could also be helpful in creating an environment for fish around the turbine. With boating/fishing restrictions all over the area, fish will be free to thrive and create their own little community.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/10/141016123608.htm

Melting Gravity

Recently scientists from the European Space Agency have discovered that the melting of much of Western Antarctica has caused a change in gravity. Since 2009-2012 the gravity in the local catchment basin, the local area focused on by the satellite, has dipped quite immensely. This is a relatively new discovery because satellites before measured change over time over a large area. This made it more difficult to find the changes in these more localized areas. These changes do not surprise many scientists, who predicted with the loss of ice on the poles, many different changes to occur. The most obvious being the rise in sea levels across the world, which has the potential to effect many of the world's largest cities and infrastructure.

Other satellites studying the area foretell an even greater decrease in the ice sheets, with ice melting at three times its original speed or greater. Since 2011 Antarctica has lost 125 cubic kilometers a year on average. All these factors relate to climate change and the synergy with the Ocean and our planet as a whole, which could be effected in ways unknown.


European Space Agency. "Satellite measurements reveal gravity dip from ice loss in West Antarctica." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 30 September 2014. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/09/140930195428.htm>.  

Lionfish Roundup

Invasion of Lionfish

In Florida and the Gulf Coast, volunteers are fighting to limit the amount of Lionfish infesting the Caribbean and Gulf Coast. Lionfish are not native to the surrounding waters, and have been imported over time for their exotic appearance by collectors. Many of them have and were dumped into the ocean when they grew too troublesome to take care of, leading to an explosion of Lionfish in the Caribbean and Gulf Coast. These fish are carnivorous, and are able to consume a fish 2/3s their own body mass. This leads to a fully grown Lionfish being able to clear out a 20 small fish in a coral reef in thirty minutes. This leads to the destruction of the food chain and with the loss of smaller fish seaweed can spiral out of control and destroy the reef and the natural ecosystem. This is why groups of volunteers have banded together to prevent the Lionfish from spreading exponentially without a predator for them to fear in the Gulf Coast. Attempting to cleanse the water of the Lionfish.

"Lion Fish." Project AWARE. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Sept. 2014.
"LionfishHunters.org." Lionfish Invade South Florida. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Sept. 2014.

Volcano Crabs?

Volcano Crabs?

Researchers have been studying deep sea vents created from volcano activity in the Indian Ocean. The vents release black liquid, and hot air making the environment very hostile for almost all living life. One crustacean has been found in these vents however. Yeti crabs have been found located inside the vents along with possibly other creatures that haven't been found before. The Yeti crabs thought to have been seen are supposed to be a new species according to the scientists from Britain. The Vent is called a Dragon Vent, and contains many creatures that may seem familiar at first glance, but are actually much different after hundreds of years of evolution inside these superheated vents. The vents were first discovered in 2007 by Chinese researchers. These constant discoveries in unexpected places excite many who contemplate the unknown creatures hidden under the water in secretive places.


"British Oceanographers Find New Species in Indian Ocean Hydrothermal Vents." British Oceanographers Find New Species in Indian Ocean Hydrothermal Vents. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Sept. 2014.

Underground Oceans?

Underground Oceans?
Recently scientists have discovered a new ocean, underground. seven hundred kilometers underground lies the world's newest, and coolest ocean. Buried underneath the mantle by a rock called ringwoodlite, which carries a blue color. This is major news for many reasons.

It is important to many scientists because some had speculated that Earth's water had arrived in comets, and had been dispersed when the comets struck the Earth. With this new ocean found, scientists now have a theory that the oceans slowly "oozed" out of the ground, creating the oceans slowly. Many also believe that this is the reason that the oceans never seem to diminish despite conditions. Believing that this underground ocean still acts as a "reservoir" for our oceans. It is quite an odd thought that our oceans have another body of water they lead from.

What is more amazing is the way the scientists utilized technology to find this ocean. They used seismometers to study the seismic waves that the underground ocean gave off for days after earthquakes hit.


http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn25723-massive-ocean-discovered-towards-earths-core.html#.VBggLz80-ZR 

Penguins at Risk?

Penguins are the most interesting bird in the animal kingdom. Mainly because they spend most of their time in the water. Their diet is comprised of fish and other marine animals, and their habitat is the coast of the ocean primarily. Contrary to popular belief, not all penguins live in the Arctic areas. Many penguins live in warmer tropical regions and keep cool by living by the water.


Climate change is altering their habitats however, and many penguins are not able to sustain themselves because of the pollutants/waste products dumped into the ocean by careless humans. And while some penguins are able to live outside the freezing tundra, most are not able to. The penguin population will continue to drop with the rise in temperatures. It is proven that penguins are very precise creatures, and any slight change to their environment will cause their mating patterns to go awry. Humans must take action to save these flightless, water-loving birds. Sadly, it could possibly be too late to reverse all the effects of climate change. Humans must now look to the future for new ideas and solutions.

"Penguin Habitat." Penguin Facts and Information. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Sept. 2014.