Marine science news covering oceanography, coral reefs, fisheries science, sea level rise, and marine ecosystems.
The article reports on a massive stranding of sea butterflies, or pteropods, along Texas beaches. It describes the physical characteristics of these marine snails and their role in the Gulf food web, noting that their sharp shells caused irritation to surfers and beachgoers.
The article reports that a toxic algal bloom has sickened over 100 sea lions along the California coast, with the Marine Mammal Center treating cases of domoic acid poisoning. Officials attribute the surge to warm ocean temperatures and El Niño, warning that climate change may exacerbate these harmful blooms.
Researchers from the Spanish Institute of Oceanography have released the Carimed database, consolidating data from 46 oceanographic missions conducted between 1976 and 2018. The project integrates measurements of temperature, oxygen, pH, and carbon to help distinguish natural variability from persistent environmental disruptions caused by the climate crisis in the Mediterranean Sea.
Research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reveals that horizontal sea-surface temperature gradients serve as early warning signals for rapid hurricane strengthening. Scientists found these gradients allow cyclones to access warm ocean fuel, mitigating the cooling effect caused by wind mixing deep water.