Our Saving Grazers
Think critical ecosystems are threatened by an algal take over? Not so fast, grazers may have something to say about that. Gordon OberPostdoctoral Researcher, Claremont McKenna College I am currently a...
View ArticleFear and Floating in the Atlantic
Does fear of predation alter sea turtle behavior? Researchers put an ecological model to the test by using large-scale movement patterns of sharks and sea turtles and found something unexpected. Gordon...
View ArticleThe Sting of Sex: odd mating adaptations of box jellyfish
It might be hard for a box jellyfish to buy into the old adage “sex sells,” especially when their gonads are laced with stinging cells. This is just one bizarre adaptation in these organisms, read on...
View ArticleDiversity and its role in combating the effects of climate change
In the battle against climate change, ecosystems need to get down with diversity. Gordon OberPostdoctoral Researcher, Claremont McKenna College I am currently a postdoc at Keck Sciences, Claremont...
View ArticleWanderings through the Western Society of Naturalists
Takeaways and notes from Sacramento and a jam-packed Western Society of Naturalists meeting! Gordon OberPostdoctoral Researcher, Claremont McKenna College I am currently a postdoc at Keck Sciences,...
View ArticleWarming up to climate change
Are you a fish that can’t cope with warming oceans? Don’t hesitate, acclimate! Scientists have found if fish have the chance to acclimate to warmer temperatures they may be better off in the future....
View ArticleRising above the noise
Oceanbites is still “ringing” in the New Year! Find out how in a sea full of noisy fish one can stand out from the crowd. And yes, fish can make noise! Gordon OberPostdoctoral Researcher, Claremont...
View ArticleHope Floats: how icebergs are fighting climate change
An iceberg couldn’t help Leo win an Oscar, but new research highlights how icebergs may help battle climate change. Read on to find out how! Gordon OberPostdoctoral Researcher, Claremont McKenna...
View ArticleArmored but uninhabited: how beach armoring is altering transitional communities
Let’s get back on the beach for the final day of spring break! Here we explore the unique communities inhabiting beaches and how human efforts to prevent erosion are hurting them. Gordon...
View ArticleFrequent Fallers: Fat penguins have trouble staying on their feet
Yesterday was World Penguin Day. In honor of that, let’s take some time to appreciate just how awkward they are when they have to walk, and investigate why fatter penguins may fall more often. Gordon...
View ArticleInked and Eaten: how squid have adapted a defense mechanism to help them...
Just when we thought squids couldn’t get any cooler, researchers have discovered that squid use ink clouds not just to help them escape from predators, but to be predators themselves! Read on to find...
View ArticleSmall fish dine on small plastics and that’s a BIG problem
We’ve heard a lot about plastics in the ocean, but a new study shows the ecological implications of fish eating plastic. Here, researchers found that larval fish are preferentially consuming...
View ArticleLoud and Order: How reef fish vocalize to keep schools cohesive
Many animals use vocalizations to send signals to their group, but never before has this been documented in fish, until now. Researchers have found a reef fish that uses vocalizations in order to keep...
View ArticleDolphin Dialects: first evidence of spoken language in cetaceans?
We all know dolphins are intelligent creatures that communicate with one another, but a recent study has analyzed dolphin sounds finding evidence of actual human-like, structured conversation. Their...
View ArticleCostume Age: some crabs are too young to start dressing up
Well, it’s that time of year again where hoards of costumed kids roam the streets in search of candy. While these kids are met at each door with smiles and sugar, older kids and teenagers are more...
View ArticleKelp Deforestation: warming oceans are paving the way for seaweed eaters
As oceans heat up, tropical fish have started migrating to colder, temperate waters. The change in scenery from corals to kelp has plant-eating tropical fish drooling over the abundance of food in...
View ArticleFrozen Food: how ice algae support Arctic ecosystems
It may seem like a harsh place to grow, but algae inhabit the under side of Arctic ice. As it turns out, these frozen, sea “veggies” provide an important source of food for Artic ecosystems. Gordon...
View ArticleThe Kelp in the Coal Mine: can kelps act as an indicator for climate change?
Many scientific studies have shown that kelp species are sensitive and vulnerable to climate change. Some scientists think of them as sentinel species, or early warning indicators of climate change....
View ArticleThe Emergence of Science Twitter: 140 characters of facts and…fun?
It’s hard to argue that recent changes in the political landscape have brought science and scientists down from the Ivory Tower and out of the shadows. As a growing method of science communication,...
View ArticleA long history of tool use in marine mammals? You otter believe it!
The use of tools by animals has been documented in a wide range of species, from birds to invertebrates, encompassing land animals and marine animals. Animals use tools to help shelter themselves as...
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