New research revealed the remarkable chemical diversity of substances exuded by coral reefs and demonstrated that thousands of different chemicals derived from tropical corals and seaweeds are available for microbes to decompose and utilize.

In 1962, when environmentalist and author Rachel Carson penned "Silent Spring," alerting the world to the dangers of the pesticide DDT, it was the reproductive threat to birds – the bald eagle in particular – that spurred people to action.

Six decades later, Rutgers University–New Brunswick researchers are taking the measure of another global environmental pollutant by drawing parallels to the crisis Carson identified. This time, the pollutant is mercury, and the sentinels are penguins living in the farthest reaches of the Antarctic Peninsula.

“With mercury, there’s an analogy to DDT,” said John Reinfelder, a professor in the Department of Environmental Sciences at the Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, and co-author of a study published in Science of the Total Environment examining mercury levels in the flightless, aquatic birds.

Rising sea temperatures may promote loggerhead sea turtle nesting on Italy’s coastline, per analysis of citizen science data, highlighting importance of preserving natural beaches

Milky seas are a rare bioluminescent phenomenon where vast areas of the ocean glow at night, sometimes for months. This glow, likely caused by Vibrio harveyi bacteria, has been reported by sailors for centuries but remains poorly understood due to its rarity and remote locations, mainly in the Indian Ocean. Researchers at Colorado State University have compiled a 400-year database of sightings, using historical records and satellite data, revealing that milky seas are linked to climatic patterns like the Indian Ocean Dipole and El Niño.

The ricefield eel (Monopterus albus) is the only protogynous hermaphrodite freshwater fish. How this species changes its sex remains elusive. By performing comparative transcriptome analysis, we tentatively propose that a temperature-induced sex reversal mechanism is at work in ricefield eel, similar to that in embryonic reptiles. We show that warm temperature induces the expression of male sex determination genes in ovarian tissues, and that temperature-induced up-regulation of male genes depends on Trpv4, a thermosensor that can sense thermal cues.  

About 66 million years ago, an asteroid slammed into the planet, wiping out all non-avian dinosaurs and about 70% of all marine species. But the crater it left behind in the Gulf of Mexico was a literal hotbed for life enriching the overlying ocean for at least 700,000 years, according to research published today in Nature Communications.

New research will help scientists predict where and when animals will move, a task which is becoming more urgent, given the current rapid pace of global change.  

On our planet, at any one moment, billions of animals are on the move.  From migratory birds, insects, marine mammals and sharks connecting distant continents and seas, to bees and other insects pollinating our crops, to grazing animals roaming across the plain.    The study of animal movement has grown fast in recent decades.  However, much of this work still focuses on describing and understanding current patterns, rather than predicting future movements. 

The problem is that using the past and present as a guide will be of limited use given how quickly environments are changing, due to new patterns of land use, climate change, and human population shifts.

This is where the new research comes in.  It sets out a framework that can help scientists provide more robust predictions in rapidly changing environmental conditions.    It can help to conserve species, but also to protect wider ecosystems and our environment and the many services these provide to human wellbeing.

A sea turtle’s shell is a masterpiece. A new study reveals that marine turtle shells combine flexibility and strength to protect against predators like sharks and stress while optimizing movement. This adaptation highlights the complex design of their shells and provides insights into this remarkable balance of strength and flexibility, which has allowed them to survive in the ocean for millions of years – an example of evolution shaping species in an environment.