All articles tagged with #seagrass
Aerial footage off Scotland’s Outer Hebrides captures enigmatic circular patterns thought to be formed by seagrass, highlighting the ongoing decline of seagrass meadows; despite past wasting disease and ongoing threats, NatureScot protections and localized recoveries in Loch Ryan, the Firth of Forth, and Solway Firth suggest a glimmer of revival, even as researchers probe the exact cause of the circles.
Research on Mallorca beaches revealed that Neptune balls, natural seagrass formations, often contain dense plastic debris, highlighting the impact of human pollution on marine ecosystems, with some balls trapping large and visible plastic items like sanitary products.
February's best science images include a giant plume of plasma on the Sun's surface, artificial seagrass to save seahorses, dental-pulp stem cells with potential for regenerative medicine, NASA's retired space shuttle Endeavour prepared for permanent display, ocean scientists discovering new species and seamounts, record rain in California, tracking endangered horseshoe crabs in Hong Kong, and a robot capable of opening almost any door.
Nearly 1,000 manatees gathered at Blue Springs State Park in Florida, marking a record-breaking event amid the ongoing mortality crisis affecting the species. The manatees were seeking warmer waters as the state experienced its coldest morning of the season. The mammals have been struggling due to factors such as watercraft accidents, disease, and a significant decline in seagrass and macroalgae sources. Despite the ongoing challenges, the record gathering at the park offers a glimmer of hope for the species' survival.
Researchers at the University of Virginia have discovered that seagrass beds can permanently lock in carbon, even when the seagrass dies off. The study, conducted in the largest restored seagrass meadow in the world off the Eastern Shore of Virginia, found that seagrass meadows can capture and retain carbon for centuries. This discovery offers new hope for using nature-based solutions, such as seagrass restoration, in the fight against climate change. Seagrass meadows not only trap carbon dioxide but also provide other benefits like promoting fisheries and improving water quality.
Researchers have reconstructed the colonization history of eelgrass, a critical seagrass species, using complete nuclear and chloroplast genomes. The study reveals that eelgrass first crossed the Pacific from west to east in multiple colonization events, and then dispersed to the Atlantic through the Canadian Arctic about 243 thousand years ago. The findings suggest that eelgrass-based ecosystems in the Atlantic are relatively recent, with less time for animal-plant co-evolution. The study also highlights the significant difference in genomic diversity between Pacific and Atlantic populations, raising concerns about the Atlantic eelgrass's ability to adapt to climate change. Restoring genetic diversity from Pacific eelgrass may be a potential solution for fortifying Atlantic populations.