Every summer, extreme heatwaves and heat-related deaths populate the news. Heat exerts stress on our bodies, and natural ecosystems experience similar effects. Researchers investigated the effects of these temperatures on an essential seagrass species. oceanbites.org/how-heatwaves-…

Florida reefs have been hit many threats-such as disturbances by marine debris-that have led to its decline. Researchers analyzed the influence of debris on marine ecosystems in the Florida Keys to reveal if marine debris may help the marine environment. oceanbites.org/the-other-side…

Only one third of the estimated millions of creatures found in the oceans have been documented. It is unsurprising that while the habitat and feeding behavior of the bluntnose sixgill shark have been observed, their mating habits have remained a mystery. oceanbites.org/the-brutal-bal…

Many marine invertebrates have a two-stage lifestyle with a larval stage. With climate change, marine larvae face a future ocean with differences in temperature and food supply. What might this mean for adult populations? oceanbites.org/whats-on-your-…

The cryptic nature of marine mammals makes them difficult to study. However, in a recent study, scientists used new video technology to observe whale feeding behaviors off the coast of Argentina, a location the team thought was only used for calving. oceanbites.org/southern-right…

How can you tell the age of a fish? Like the rings of a tree stump, fish create ring-like patterns on scales or bone each year as they grow. Here, researchers propose a new machine learning technique that uses object identification to count the rings oceanbites.org/machines-aging…

Ocean acidification impacts diatoms, small critters that contribute ~40% of marine primary productivity. Here, researchers investigate how rising CO₂ levels impact diatoms and their use of calcium, crucial for diatom house building, for the first time. oceanbites.org/diatoms-calciu…

The whale shark is the largest living fish species. The Georgia Aquarium is one of the only aquaria in the world that hosts whale sharks. In this study, researchers use the aquarium’s shark tank to observe the whale shark’s behavioral patterns. oceanbites.org/the-voyages-of…

"Polymorphisms" are traits that occur in two or more forms within a population. The duration Atlantic salmon spend at sea before spawning, or "age at maturity", is polymorphic. In this study, biologists if “age at maturity” genes affect feeding behavior. oceanbites.org/the-genetics-o…

As oceans warm, the Temperature Size rule, stating that cold-blooded animals reach a smaller size under high temperatures, has become a concern. Research finds that fish body mass has reduced by 5-30%. Here, researchers examine two hypotheses for this. oceanbites.org/shrinking-fish…

Estuaries, where freshwater meets saltwater, include essential habitats for fish. However, flooding (often magnified by human development) can alter estuaries. In this study, scientists investigate how an intense flooding event impacts fish communities. oceanbites.org/estuaries-huma…

Ebola and Marburg are infectious and often lethal viruses in humans, causing organs to cease functioning. Luckily, a recent study investigated the potential of the chemical byproducts of deep sea organisms as a source of medicine to treat these viruses. oceanbites.org/deep-sea-fungi…

Much of our oxygen comes from phytoplankton living at the ocean’s surface. Scientists once believed that this oxygen sinks to provide a habitat for deep sea creatures. However, a new study shows that the ocean can produce its own 'dark oxygen' instead! oceanbites.org/dark-oxygen-th…

Researchers traditionally use cost and time consuming methods to study and map the depths of our oceans. In this study, researchers posit a new approach to seafloor mapping: attaching cameras to Australian sea lions to view the seafloor through their eyes. oceanbites.org/exploring-the-…

Climate change is significantly affecting the phytoplankton - the foundation of marine food webs - in the Southern Ocean. How exactly are phytoplankton changing? In a recent study, scientists used satellites to map changes in phytoplankton over 25 years. oceanbites.org/our-changing-p…

Shallow water corals harbor plant-like organisms, which provide food for the corals while the corals offer protection against predators. But how do cold water corals that live in deep waters - without plants and plant-like organisms - receive nutrition? oceanbites.org/the-peculiar-c…

Although fish may seem to be quiet animals, many species are known to produce distinct sounds in order to seek a mate or defend territory. In a recent study, scientists recorded underwater sounds to investigate fish vocalizations in marine protected areas. oceanbites.org/listening-for-…

Read about one of our author's experience as an intern at the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB) in our newest article! oceanbites.org/from-intern-to…

New data is unraveling the mystery of the elusive megamouth shark. The filter-feeding species lives 1,000-4,000 feet below the ocean's surface. In this study, scientists tagged three megamouth sharks in Taiwan's waters to understand their daily movements. oceanbites.org/megamouth-shar…

How do jellyfish orient themselves in the environment? Jellies have surprising complexity beneath the "bell" part of their body. In this study, researchers investigated the biological structures that allow jellyfish to move with such mesmerizing grace. oceanbites.org/decoding-the-g…