More Ocean Sustainability
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NewsStudy identifies viruses in red tide blooms for the first time
A new study identifies viruses associated with Karenia brevis, the single-celled organism that causes red tide. By testing water samples collected from red tide blooms, the researchers found several viruses in blooms — including one new viral species.
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NewsRed coral colonies survive a decade after being transplanted in the Medes Islands
The red coral colonies that were transplanted a decade ago on the seabed of the Medes Islands have survived successfully. They are very similar to the original communities and have contributed to the recovery of the functioning of the coral reef.
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FeaturesHow microbes can detoxify heavy metal pollution in the ocean
Researchers have successfully used microbes to reduce the heavy metal toxicity of soils and wastewater through bioremediation. Could they eventually use a similar approach to target heavy metals in the ocean?
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NewsNew method uncovers dynamic microbial community in coastal sediments
Scientists utilises single celll genomics and cell staining approaches to investigate the respiratory rates and metabolic activities of the diverse microbial communities in low biomass aqautic environments, such as Maine’s coastal sediments.
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NewsProfessor investigates how symbiotic groups - like corals and biofilms - can behave like single organisms
UNCG philosopher of biology Dr. Derek Skillings is the lead investigator on a new, three-year, $600,000 grant from the John Templeton Foundation for a study of the emergence and evolution of goal-directed behavior in collective entities.
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NewsClimate affects microbial life around Antarctica
Bacteria and other microbes in the seas around Antarctica are strongly influenced by water temperature and the amount of sea ice. This is shown by coordinated measurements taken off the coast of the west Antarctic Peninsula, scientists say.
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NewsPresence of potentially toxic microalgae confirmed in La Concha Bay
The proliferation of the Ostreopsis ovata algae is no cause for alarm, but it is advisable to continue taking measurements, according to researchers.
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NewsResearch team publishes paradigm-challenging discovery in a Yellowstone thermophile
A graduating PhD student has made an interesting discovery about a common thermophilic bacteria dwelling in hots prings which is able to simultaneously respirate and metabolize via aerobic and anaerobic pathways.
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NewsGreat whale pee funnel carries nutrients thousands of miles, boosting phytoplanktons
A new study shows that whales carry huge quantities of nutrients horizontally, across whole ocean basins, from rich, cold waters where they feed to warm shores near the equator where they mate and give birth.
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NewsSulfur-reducing bacteria team-up to break down organic substances in the seabed
Researchers have decoded the molecular strategies employed by the underappreciated sulfate-reducing bacteria, <i>Desulfobacteraceae</i>, which is capable of breaking down organic carbon in the oxygen-limited seabed.
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CareersMy PhD Experience: Collaborations between academia and industry in the microbial bioremediation of marine oil pollution
Jake A Smallbone reveals how a industry collaboration as part of his PhD led to work on a real world oil spill to uncover the fascinating ways that bacterial communities respond to pollution and can be deployed as biomarkers and in bioremediation.
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OpinionThe problem of microplastics in the oceans: it’s time for effective solutions
Francielly Bruna Neto Francisco and Ricardo Henrique Krüger, from the University of Brasília (UNB), warn that we urgently need technologies that will effectively eliminate partially or nonbiodegradable polymers from the marine environment.
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NewsStudy probes light-harvesting proteins of purple sulfur bacteria in high-salt, high-alkaline environments
Halorhodospira halophila, a purple sulfur bacterium, is believed to perform photosynthesis efficiently by integrating light harvesting protein complexes LH2 and LH1-RC. Researchers employed cryo-electron microscopy to investigate.
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NewsHeat-stressed reefs may benefit from coral-dwelling crabs
A species of branching coral is able to recover from heat stress and wounds due to its mutualistic relationship with crabs in the Great Barrier Reef Corals, a new study shows. This evolutionary partnership will inspire coral reef restoration strategies in the future.
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NewsStromatolite study provides new detail on the impact of volcanic activity on early marine life
Analysis of fossilised rocks known as stromatolites - layered rock formations created by ancient microorganisms, such as bacteria - from more than two-and-a-half billion years ago has provided new insights into the conditions on Earth before the evolution of oxygen.
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NewsNitrogen fixation on marine snow particles is widespread in the world's oceans
Researchers have shown that bacteria attached to marine snow particles can fix N2 over a wide range of temperatures in the global oceans, from the tropics to the poles, and from the surface to the abyss, accounting for about 10% of the overall N2 fixation in oceans.
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NewsResilient algae may speed up Greenland ice melt
Microscopic algae darken glacier surfaces and can accelerate melting. A new study investigating where the small algae get the necessary nutrients to survive in this hostile environment reveals how they absorb and store nutrients.
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NewsExpedition confirms spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus in the Weddell Sea
The CSIC-UNESPA scientific expedition monitoring the presence of the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAI H5N1) in Antarctica has confirmed the presence of the virus in all species detected on six islands in the Weddell Sea.
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NewsScientists to forecast climate tipping points by capturing ocean’s pulse - plankton
A new project is set to revolutionise climate forecasting by focusing on plankton as the “canaries in the coalmine” of ocean health. Next-generation autonomous underwater robots will deliver near real-time observations in the North Atlantic subpolar gyre.
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NewsStudy reveals how anemonefish avoid stings from their sea anemone hosts - bacteria could be involved
Researchers have made a breakthrough in understanding how anemonefish can live safely among sea anemones without being stung by their venomous tentacles, solving a century-long mystery.