In my last two posts we discovered that the world’s worst invading alien might be the lionfish, a native of the west Pacific and Indian Oceans that is now spreading out of control in the Atlantic, from South America to New England. The lionfish’s venomous spines ward off all native predators, while its own appetite [...]
A session in Great Lakes Week 2012, an annual gathering of the diverse groups leading the fight to restore the Great Lakes, centers on a research project funded by NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science. Dr. Don Scavia, lead investigator of the project “Forecasting the Causes and Consequences of Lake Erie Hypoxia” will be a panelist [...]
Resource managers are faced with environmental changes that threaten the health and vitality of coral reef ecosystems as a result of expanding coastal development, tourism and new industries in many Caribbean nations. To assist coral reef resource managers in their mitigation and conservation efforts, NCCOS, through the Coral Disease and Health Consortium with funding support [...]
A new analysis of importation records reveals that the U.S. marine aquarium trade brings in more species than previously estimated, but, due to errors on the forms, over counts the total number of individuals. Reliable data are important as coastal managers seek to reduce diseases and species from other parts of the world invading and [...]
A recent study funded by the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science investigated the role of specific phosphorus and nitrogen compounds in determining the amount and composition of Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning-causing toxins in cultures of two harmful algal bloom (HAB)-forming dinoflagellates from Hong Kong, Alexandrium catenella and Alexandrium tamarense. Growth and toxicity of even these [...]
Researchers from the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science developed effective, inexpensive molecular lab tests for field samples to detect algae responsible for a widespread seafood-borne illness. In this month’s Journal of Phycology, the scientists describe assays to detect and quantify six species of Gambierdiscus that cause ciguatera fish poisoning in the Atlantic, Caribbean, and [...]
Just weeks after celebrating its tenth year in orbit, communication with the Envisat satellite was suddenly lost on 8 April. Following rigorous attempts to re-establish contact and the investigation of failure scenarios, the end of the mission is being declared. A team of engineers has spent the last month attempting to regain control of Envisat, [...]
NCCOS scientists met with Victor Serveiss, Environmental Advisor to the International Joint Commission (IJC), to put the finishing touches on a Mussel Watch contribution to the next iteration of the Great Lakes Biennial Report set for publication this year (2012). This report provides an overview of NOAA and Mussel Watch monitoring efforts in the region since 1992. The [...]