Fish type, body size can help predict nutrient recycling rates

Date:

April 16, 2015

Source:

North Carolina State University

Summary:

The nutrients excreted by fish in their 'pee' may be critical to the health of coastal ecosystems. But knowing whether generalizations can be made about how to predict these nutrient levels in various ecosystems has vexed researchers -- until now.

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Blue mussels not yet the bellwether of NE coastal environment

Date:

January 30, 2015

Source:

Brown University

Summary:

Mussels could be the perfect 'sentinel' species to signal the health of coastal ecosystems. But a new study of blue mussels in estuary ecosystems along 600 kilometers of coastline in the Northeast uncovered three key mysteries that will have to be solved first.

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Researchers find the wetter the nests, the fewer sea turtles are hatched

Leatherback turtles are vulnerable to rising sea levels

Sea level rise has been studied in terms of its impacts on coastal ecosystems and habitats; but few studies have looked at its effects on mobile marine species, or their use of coastal habitats.

Many ecosystems that are threatened by sea level rise are home to sea turtle nesting sites. There are seven species of sea turtles in the world, four listed as endangered and two listed as vulnerable.

Conservation and research groups are working to preserve and protect the turtle nesting habitats from human encroachment but, a new study says, their efforts are fighting an uphill battle as oceans continue to rise.

While it’s true that sea turtle nesting habitat could disappear in the future, there is a more imminent threat resulting from sea level rise: environmental changes to turtle nests.

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