ScienceDaily: Sea Life News

Researchers search for best feed for the 'king' of the rivers

Fri, 24 May 2013 10:35:35 EDT

The red mahseer is highly sought after by anglers and high end restaurants. Breeding them may be a bit easier now that researchers in Malaysia have found the best feed combination.

Vast methane-based ecosystem uncovered

Wed, 22 May 2013 12:30:30 EDT

A marine research expedition has led to the discovery of perhaps the world's largest methane cold seep. The seep lies deep in the western North Atlantic Ocean, far from the life-sustaining energy of the sun. Mussels blanketing the the seep rely on bacteria that use the methane to make energy. The process, known as chemosynthesis, forms the basis for life in the harsh environment and could help scientists better understand how organisms can survive under these types of extreme conditions.

Study reveals how fishing gear can cause slow death of whales

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:42:42 EDT

Using a "patient monitoring" device attached to a whale entangled in fishing gear, scientists showed for the first time how fishing lines changed a whale's diving and swimming behavior. The monitoring revealed how fishing gear hinders whales' ability to eat and migrate, depletes their energy as they drag gear for months or years, and can result in a slow death.

Fourteen closely related crocodiles existed around 5 million years ago

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:13:13 EDT

Today, the most diverse species of crocodile are found in northern South America and Southeast Asia: As many as six species of alligator and four true crocodiles exist, although no more than two or three ever live alongside one another at the same time. It was a different story nine to about five million years ago, however, when a total of 14 different crocodile species existed and at least seven of them occupied the same area at the same time, paleontologists say.

Abundance and distribution of Hawaiian coral species predicted by model

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:57:57 EDT

Researchers have developed species distribution models of the six dominant Hawaiian coral species around the main Hawaiian Islands, including two species currently under consideration as threatened or endangered.

Amazon River exhales virtually all carbon taken up by rainforest

Mon, 20 May 2013 15:43:43 EDT

Woody plant matter is almost completely digested by bacteria living in the Amazon River. This tough stuff plays a major part in fueling the river's breath. The finding has implications for global carbon models, and for the ecology of the Amazon and the world's other rivers. Until recently, people believed much of the rainforest's carbon floated down the Amazon River and ended up deep in the ocean.

Why we need to put the fish back into fisheries

Sun, 19 May 2013 19:48:48 EDT

Overfishing has reduced fish populations and biodiversity across much of the world’s oceans. In response, fisheries are increasingly reliant on a handful of highly valuable shellfish. However, new research shows this approach to be extremely risky.

New era of fisheries policy needed to secure nutrition for millions

Fri, 17 May 2013 10:26:26 EDT

A new study argues that for fisheries policies to be effective they must take in to account not just fish stock conservation and environmental issues, but also research data on the patterns and dynamics of fish trade, markets and user consumption.

Coral reef fishes prove invaluable in the study of evolutionary ecology

Thu, 16 May 2013 12:36:36 EDT

Coral reef fish species have proven invaluable for experimental testing of key concepts in social evolution and already have yielded insights about the ultimate reasons for female reproductive suppression, group living, and bidirectional sex change.

Paleontology: The eloquence of otoliths seen in a 23-million-year-old fish fossil

Thu, 16 May 2013 10:52:52 EDT

Fish fossils that are about 23 million years old give unprecedented insight into the evolutionary history of the gobioid order, one of the most species-rich groups among the modern bony fishes.

Actor Johnny Depp immortalized in name of fossilized creature with 'scissor hand' claws

Thu, 16 May 2013 06:38:38 EDT

A scientist has discovered an ancient extinct creature with 'scissor hand-like' claws in fossil records and has named it in honor of his favourite movie star. The 505-million-year-old fossil called Kooteninchela deppi, which is a distant ancestor of lobsters and scorpions, was named after the actor Johnny Depp for his starring role as Edward Scissorhands -- a movie about an artificial man named Edward, an unfinished creation, who has scissors for hands.

H1N1 discovered in marine mammals

Wed, 15 May 2013 17:44:44 EDT

Scientists detected the H1N1 (2009) virus in free-ranging northern elephant seals off the central California coast a year after the human pandemic began.

'Fish thermometer' reveals long-standing, global impact of climate change

Wed, 15 May 2013 13:15:15 EDT

Climate change has been impacting global fisheries for the past four decades by driving species towards cooler, deeper waters, according to scientists.

Fossil saved from mule track revolutionizes understanding of ancient dolphin-like marine reptile

Tue, 14 May 2013 21:31:31 EDT

Scientists have revealed a new species of ichthyosaur (a dolphin-like marine reptile from the age of dinosaurs) from Iraq, which revolutionizes our understanding of the evolution and extinction of these ancient marine reptiles.

Cooling ocean temperature could buy more time for coral reefs

Tue, 14 May 2013 11:28:28 EDT

Limiting the amount of warming experienced by the world's oceans in the future could buy some time for tropical coral reefs, say researchers.

From ocean to land: The fishy origins of our hips

Tue, 14 May 2013 10:15:15 EDT

New research has revealed that the evolution of the complex, weight-bearing hips of walking animals from the basic hips of fish was a much simpler process than previously thought.

Microbes capture, store, and release nitrogen to feed reef-building coral

Tue, 14 May 2013 08:54:54 EDT

Microscopic algae that live within reef-forming corals scoop up available nitrogen, store the excess in crystal form, and slowly feed it to the coral as needed, according to a study published in mBio.

Corals turn to algae for stored food when times get tough

Tue, 14 May 2013 08:54:54 EDT

Researchers present new evidence for the crucial role of algae in the survival of their coral hosts. Ultra-high resolution images reveal that the algae temporarily store nutrients as crystals, building up reserves for when supplies run low.

Seabird bones reveal changes in open-ocean food chain

Mon, 13 May 2013 17:43:43 EDT

Remains of endangered Hawaiian petrels -- both ancient and modern -- show how drastically today's open seas fish menu has changed. Scientists analyzed the bones of Hawaiian petrels -- birds that spend the majority of their lives foraging the open waters of the Pacific. They found that the substantial change in petrels' eating habits, eating prey that are lower rather than higher in the food chain, coincides with the growth of industrialized fishing.

Using earthquake sensors to track endangered whales

Mon, 13 May 2013 15:24:24 EDT

Oceanographers used data from seafloor seismometers to analyze more than 300,000 fin-whale calls. By triangulating the position they created more than 150 tracks off the Pacific Northwest coast.

Under-appreciated benefit of oyster restoration highlighted

Thu, 09 May 2013 15:46:46 EDT

A new study shows that healthy oyster reefs would help to buffer the increasing acidity of coastal waters.

Coral reefs suffering, but collapse not inevitable

Thu, 09 May 2013 12:34:34 EDT

Coral reefs are in decline, but their collapse can still be avoided with local and global action. That's according to findings based on an analysis that combines the latest science on reef dynamics with the latest climate models.

First biological evidence of a supernova

Wed, 08 May 2013 12:30:30 EDT

In fossil remnants of bacteria, researchers have found a radioactive iron isotope that they trace back to a supernova in our cosmic neighborhood. This is the first proven biological signature of a starburst. An age determination showed that the supernova must have occurred about 2.2 million years ago, roughly around the time when the modern human developed.

You are what (and where) you eat: Mercury pollution threatens Arctic foxes

Mon, 06 May 2013 19:10:10 EDT

New scientific results show that arctic foxes accumulate dangerous levels of mercury if they live in coastal habitats and feed on prey which lives in the ocean.

The Black Sea is a goldmine of ancient genetic data

Mon, 06 May 2013 18:17:17 EDT

When one marine paleoecologist was mining through vast amounts of genetic data from the Black Sea sediment record, he was amazed about the variety of past plankton species that left behind their genetic makeup (i.e., the plankton paleome).

Scientists use satellites, underwater robot to study atlantic sturgeon migrations

Fri, 03 May 2013 23:03:03 EDT

Researchers are using satellites, acoustic transmitters, an underwater robot and historical records to pinpoint the ocean conditions that the fish prefer during migrations — and potentially help fishermen avoid spots where they might unintentionally catch this endangered species.

'Dark oxidants' form away from sunlight in lake and ocean depths, underground soils

Fri, 03 May 2013 13:29:29 EDT

All forms of life that breathe oxygen -- even ones that can't be seen with the naked eye, such as bacteria -- must fight oxidants to live. But neutralizing environmental oxidants such as superoxide was a worry only for organisms that dwell in sunlight -- in habitats that cover a mere 5 percent of the planet. That was the only place where such environmental oxidants were thought to exist. Now researchers have discovered the first light-independent source of superoxide. The key is bacteria common in the depths of the oceans and other dark places.

Boom in jellyfish: Overfishing called into question

Fri, 03 May 2013 09:47:47 EDT

Will we soon be forced to eat jellyfish? Since the beginning of the 2000s, these gelatinous creatures have invaded many of the world's seas, like the Japan Sea, the Black Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, etc. Is it a cyclic phenomenon, caused by changes in marine currents or even global warming? Until now, the causes remained unknown. A new study exposes overfishing as the main factor.

How to clean seaweed from beaches: Dry it and use the biomass for energy

Fri, 03 May 2013 09:41:41 EDT

Scientists have developed an algae removal and treatment system that turns this underused residue into a renewable source of energy: biomass. The process involves several stages of washing, drying and compacting without leaving the beach. The system is cheaper, more efficient and more environmentally friendly than the procedure commonly followed now.

Bizarre bone worms emit acid to feast on whale skeletons: Bone-melting substance drills opening for worms to access nutrients

Wed, 01 May 2013 09:19:19 EDT

Only within the past 12 years have marine biologists come to learn about the eye-opening characteristics of mystifying sea worms that live and thrive on the skeletons of whale carcasses. Now, scientists at describe how Osedax, mouthless and gutless "bone worms," excrete a bone-melting acid to gain entry to the nutrients within whale bones.

Sushi for peccaries?

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 17:59:59 EDT

It turns out the white-lipped peccary —- a piglike animal from Central and South America —- will settle for fish when fruits (its main food) are no longer on the menu, according to researchers revealing the first-ever photos of fish-eating peccaries.

Sea turtles benefiting from protected areas

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 15:42:42 EDT

Nesting green sea turtles are benefiting from marine protected areas by using habitats found within their boundaries, according to a new study that is the first to track the federally protected turtles in Dry Tortugas National Park.

Singing humpback whales tracked on Northwest Atlantic feeding ground

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 13:36:36 EDT

Male humpback whales sing complex songs in tropical waters during the winter breeding season, but they also sing at higher latitudes at other times of the year. NOAA researchers have provided the first detailed description linking humpback whale movements to acoustic behavior on a feeding ground in the Northwest Atlantic.

Turtle genome analysis sheds light on turtle ancestry and shell evolution

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 14:48:48 EDT

From which ancestors have turtles evolved? How did they get their shell? New data provides evidence that turtles are not primitive reptiles but belong to a sister group of birds and crocodiles. The work also sheds light on the evolution of the turtle’s intriguing morphology and reveals that the turtle’s shell evolved by recruiting genetic information encoding for the limbs.

Sea surface temperatures reach highest level in 150 years on Northeast continental shelf

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 11:56:56 EDT

Sea surface temperatures in the Northeast Shelf Large Marine Ecosystem during 2012 were the highest recorded in 150 years, according to new research. Temperature is also affecting distributions of fish and shellfish on the Northeast Shelf.

Whales are able to learn from others: Humpbacks pass on hunting tips

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 14:23:23 EDT

Humpback whales are able to pass on hunting techniques to each other, just as humans do, new research has found.

Deep, permeable soils buffer impacts of crop fertilizer on Amazon streams

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 11:23:23 EDT

A new study in the fast-changing southern Amazon -- a region marked by widespread replacement of native forest by cattle ranches and croplands -- suggests that some of the damaging impacts of agricultural fertilization on local streams may be buffered by the deep, highly permeable soils that characterize large areas of the expanding cropland.

FlipperBot: Sea turtles and flipper-driven robot reveal principles of moving on sand and other granular media

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 21:17:17 EDT

Based on a study of both hatchling sea turtles and "FlipperBot" -- a robot with flippers -- researchers have learned principles for how both robots and turtles move on granular surfaces such as sand.

Big ecosystem changes viewed through the lens of tiny carnivorous plants

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 15:39:39 EDT

The water-filled pool within a pitcher plant, it turns out, is a tiny ecosystem whose inner workings are similar to those of a full-scale water body. Whether small carnivorous plant or huge lake, both are subject to the same ecological "tipping points," of concern on Earth Day -- and every day, say scientists.

Insights into deadly coral bleaching could help preserve reefs: Surprising result from study of 1893 World's Fair corals

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 13:51:51 EDT

Coral reefs are stressed because of climate change. Researchers have discovered corals themselves play a role in their susceptibility to deadly coral bleaching due to the light-scattering properties of their skeletons. No one else has shown this before. Using optical technology designed for early cancer detection, the researchers discovered that reef-building corals scatter light in different ways to the symbiotic algae that feed the corals.

Why soft corals have unique pulsating motion

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 09:10:10 EDT

Scientists have discovered why Heteroxenia corals pulsate. Their work resolves an old scientific mystery.

Something's fishy in the tree of life: Largest and most comprehensive studies of fish phylogeny

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 13:26:26 EDT

A team of scientists has dramatically increased our understanding of fish evolution and their relationships. The group integrated extensive genetic and physical information about specimens to create a new "tree of life" for fishes. The vast amount of data generated through large-scale DNA sequencing required supercomputing resources for analysis. The result is the largest and most comprehensive studies of fish phylogeny to date.

Ocean acidification as a hearing aid for fish?

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 08:00:00 EDT

Scientists report stunning new insight into the potential effects of acidification on the sensory function of larval cobia. The study is the first to use micro-CT technology to examine otoliths while still inside the heads of the larval fish.

New understanding of rare white shark movement around Hawai'i

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 16:23:23 EDT

A new study sheds light on the relatively rare but occasionally recorded presence of white sharks in waters surrounding the Hawaiian Islands, and suggests a new method to help distinguish between white sharks and close relatives, such as mako sharks.

'First step' in addressing effects of climate change

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 15:44:44 EDT

A new report on potential effects of climate change uses existing observations and science-based expectations to identify how climate change could affect habitats, plants and animals within the sanctuary and adjacent coastal areas.

Sea-ice ecosystem possibly triggered evolution of baleen whales and penguins

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 14:23:23 EDT

The origin of the unique plankton ecosystem of the circum-Antarctic Southern Ocean can be traced back to the emergence of the Antarctic ice sheets approximately 33.6 million years ago. This discovery shows that the development of the sea-ice ecosystem possibly triggered further adaptation and evolution of larger organisms such as baleen whales and penguins.

Age matters to Antarctic clams: Age matters when it comes to adapting to the effects of climate change

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 10:43:43 EDT

A new study of Antarctic clams reveals that age matters when it comes to adapting to the effects of climate change. The research provides new insight and understanding of the likely impact of predicted environmental change on future ocean biodiversity.

Coelacanth genome surfaces: Unexpected insights from a fish with a 300-million-year-old fossil record

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 13:18:18 EDT

An international team of researchers has decoded the genome of the African coelacanth. The species was once thought to be extinct, but a living coelacanth was discovered off the African coast in 1938. Coelacanths today closely resemble the fossilized skeletons of their more than 300-million-year-old ancestors. Its genome confirms what many researchers had long suspected: genes in coelacanths are evolving more slowly than in other organisms.

Surprising findings on hydrogen production in green algae

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 18:24:24 EDT

New research fuels hope of efficient hydrogen production with green algae may be possible in the future, despite the prevailing scepticism based on previous research.

Ocean's future not so bleak? Resilience found in shelled plants exposed to ocean acidification

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 10:09:09 EDT

Marine scientists have long understood the detrimental effect of fossil fuel emissions on marine ecosystems. But a group has found a point of resilience in a microscopic shelled plant with a massive environmental impact, which suggests the future of ocean life may not be so bleak.

Disappearing nannies force parents to accept their duties

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 13:24:24 EDT

Large helpers (nannies) in a cichlid fish allow the dominant male and female to reduce their personal contribution to their offspring and territory, according to new research.

Sea mammals find U.S. safe harbor

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 19:46:46 EDT

New research shows that many US marine mammal populations -- especially some seals and sea lions -- have rebounded since 1972, because of the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

The Rosette Agent: Monitoring a new threat in Britain's rivers

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 07:55:55 EDT

There are more than four million anglers in the UK and the sport generates an estimated £3.5 billion for the economy. But research has uncovered a new threat that could put many of the native fish species UK anglers rely on at risk.

Pollution: Learning the limits for marine species

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 07:55:55 EDT

Work by biologists and marine scientists over the past 10 years has covered such commercial resources as shrimp, scallops, herring and cod. Establishing tolerance levels for these and other species is one of the tools needed to determine how Barents Sea oil production can be pursued in an environmentally acceptable way. Tolerance levels are measured when a species is at the larval stage, the phase in its growth where it has the greatest vulnerability to oil pollution.

Goosefish capture small puffins over deep water of Northwest Atlantic

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 15:50:50 EDT

A recent study has shown that bottom-dwelling goosefish, also known as monkfish, prey on dovekies, a small Arctic seabird and the smallest member of the puffin family. To understand how this deep-water fish finds a shallow-feeding bird in offshore waters, researchers looked at when, where, and how these animals were most likely to be in the same place at the same time.

Great white sharks scavenging on dead whales

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 14:15:15 EDT

Biologists have explored the behaviors of Great white sharks scavenging on dead whales in South Africa. The team documented as many as 40 different sharks scavenging on a carcass over the course of a single day, revealing unique social interactions among sharks.

Research enables fishermen to harvest lucrative shellfish on Georges Bank

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 13:14:14 EDT

New scientific understanding of toxic algal blooms on Georges Bank, along with an at-sea and dockside testing protocol, has allowed fishermen to harvest ocean quahogs and surf clams in these offshore waters for the first time in more than two decades. The Georges Bank surf clam and ocean quahog fishery has an estimated annual value of $10-15 million.

Ocean nutrients a key component of future change, say scientists

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 08:22:22 EDT

Variations in nutrient availability in the world’s oceans could be a vital component of future environmental change, according to a new review paper.

Unusual anal fin offers new insight into evolution

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 08:22:22 EDT

An unusual fossil fish that has fins behind its anus could have implications for human evolution.

Surf's up: Turbulence tells sea urchins to settle down

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 14:51:51 EDT

Tumbling in the waves as they hit a rocky shore tells purple sea urchin larvae it's time to settle down and look for a spot to grow into an adult, researchers at have found.