Latest news with #marineecosystems
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Boater shares video in attempt to raise awareness of growing threat to oceans: 'Why are those not banned?'
Boater shares video in attempt to raise awareness of growing threat to oceans: 'Why are those not banned?' A dramatic TikTok video is sparking outrage for spotlighting one of the ocean's most pervasive and preventable threats: balloon pollution. Posted by boating company Vessel Mastery (@vesselmastery), the video shows a boater fishing a bundle of balloons out of the sea. "Please do your part," the caption urges. "The ocean belongs to the creatures that live in it, we are guests." The creator's plea includes a call to pop balloons before they float away and educate kids about the destruction they cause. "We are the example," the caption continues. "Please share this to as many people as possible!" Just moments after the captain retrieves the balloons, we see a pod of whales swimming near the surface. The message raises important questions about a celebration staple that has become an environmental menace. Although balloons are associated with celebrations and joy, they wreak havoc on marine ecosystems. When ecosystems get thrown off balance, the effects ripple across our food chain. Plus, local communities that rely on the ocean for fishing, tourism, and other livelihoods can suffer. Most balloons are made of plastic that doesn't break down. Instead, it turns into microplastics, which harm human health when they enter our food, drinking water, and bodies. Balloons can float for miles before landing in sensitive habitats. Marine animals often mistake deflated balloons for jellyfish or other food, leading to fatal blockages or injuries. Research shows that balloons are among the most lethal forms of ocean debris to seabirds. A 2019 study published in Scientific Reports found that birds that ingested soft plastic such as balloons were 32 times more likely to die than those that ate hard plastic. Balloon ribbons and strings also entangle birds, turtles, and other wildlife. Fortunately, organizations such as the Ocean Conservancy are pushing for public education campaigns and balloon-release bans, while some U.S. states and municipalities have already enacted local restrictions. For anyone planning a celebration, the eco-conscious move is to skip the balloons entirely or switch to reusable or biodegradable decorations. Commenters on the video didn't hold back. "Why are those not banned?" one asked. "I pull any & everything I see that doesn't belong there," another added. "Nearby on shore as well when I'm passing by. Straws… plastic… litter etc the wind blows it all in." A third chimed in, "Thanks for your service my friend." Should we be pouring money into nuclear fusion technology? Yes — it'll pay off It's worth exploring Not from our tax dollars No — it's a waste Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. Solve the daily Crossword
Sustainability Times
05-07-2025
- Science
- Sustainability Times
'We Brought It Back to Life': Scientists Successfully Revive a 7,000-Year-Old Organism Frozen in Time and Mystery
IN A NUTSHELL 🌊 Researchers have revived microalgae from the Baltic Sea that lay dormant for nearly 7,000 years , revealing insights into ancient marine life. , revealing insights into ancient marine life. 🔬 The study published in The ISME Journal demonstrates how these organisms preserved in sediments offer a living snapshot of past ecosystems. demonstrates how these organisms preserved in sediments offer a living snapshot of past ecosystems. 🧬 Genetic analysis shows gradual adaptation over millennia, with ancient algae regaining normal photosynthetic activity upon revival. over millennia, with ancient algae regaining normal photosynthetic activity upon revival. 🌿 The research explores the concept of dormancy as a survival mechanism, highlighting potential applications in understanding climate resilience. In a groundbreaking scientific feat, researchers have awakened microalgae that have lain dormant for thousands of years in the sediments of the Baltic Sea. This unprecedented experiment offers an intriguing glimpse into the past and presents new opportunities to understand how marine ecosystems have evolved and adapted to climate change over millennia. The discovery, detailed in The ISME Journal, showcases the resilience of life and provides invaluable insights into both ancient and modern ecological dynamics. A Dive into the Ancient Marine World The concept of dormant organisms surviving extreme conditions is fascinating, especially when these life forms serve as natural archives of past ecosystems. In this study, scientists isolated strains of Skeletonema marinoi, a common diatom, from various geological layers of the Baltic Sea sediments. These organisms had been in a state of dormancy, deprived of light and oxygen, for nearly 7,000 years. By reviving them, researchers were able to directly study ancient life forms rather than rely solely on fossils. Genetic analyses of these algae revealed differences between ancient and modern populations, indicating a gradual adaptation over time. Remarkably, the resurrected algae resumed normal photosynthetic activity, demonstrating performance comparable to their contemporary descendants. This method, termed resurrection ecology, allows scientists to explore historical environmental conditions preserved within marine sediments, effectively acting as a time capsule. 'Ancient Gene Switch Flipped': Scientists Restore Limb Regeneration in Mice Using Dormant DNA Once Thought Lost Forever A Tool for Understanding the Future The rejuvenated algae, some dating back 6,871 years, demonstrated stable growth and intact oxygen production, underscoring their remarkable biological resilience despite millennia of inactivity. Researchers are now planning experiments to observe how these ancient strains react to various climate scenarios. By comparing these ancient and modern strains, scientists aim to gain insights into how past climate changes impacted phytoplankton and to better predict future marine ecosystem dynamics. The study emphasizes the importance of sediments in tracing the genetic history of species. Future research will delve deeper into the specific adaptations that have occurred over thousands of years. Understanding these evolutionary processes is crucial for predicting how current and future climate change might affect marine life. 'Trees Are Poisoning the Air': Shocking New Study Reveals Natural Plant Defenses May Be Making Pollution Worse Exploring Dormancy in Microalgae Dormancy is a widespread survival mechanism in the natural world, allowing organisms to endure unfavorable periods. In microalgae like Skeletonema marinoi, dormancy involves the formation of specialized cells with thick walls and energy reserves. These dormant stages can withstand the absence of light, oxygen, and extreme temperatures. When environmental conditions become favorable again, these cells initiate a metabolic awakening, reactivating cellular functions like photosynthesis and division. Unlike a simple pause, dormancy requires complex physiological adaptations, including the production of protective proteins. This strategy differs from sporulation or hibernation and is often linked to seasonal cycles. During winter, cells sink into sediments to avoid freezing, only to resurface in spring. Some strains, as evidenced by the Baltic Sea study, can remain inactive for millennia, raising questions about the limits of life. 'We Finally Found It': Scientists Reveal the Missing Half of the Universe's Matter Was Hiding in Plain Sight All Along Implications and Future Directions This discovery challenges our understanding of life's endurance. How do these organisms maintain cellular integrity over such extended periods? Are their repair mechanisms still active? These questions drive the field of resurrection ecology, which utilizes these microalgae as models to study extreme longevity. The implications of this research extend beyond marine biology, offering potential insights into climate resilience and the adaptability of life. As we continue to unlock the secrets of these ancient organisms, we are left to ponder the broader implications for our planet's future. How might these findings influence our strategies for preserving biodiversity amid changing climates? The answers may lie in the depths of our oceans, waiting to be discovered. Our author used artificial intelligence to enhance this article. Did you like it? 4.4/5 (28)
Globe and Mail
04-07-2025
- Science
- Globe and Mail
Photography brings threats to oceans into focus
The world's oceans are critical to human life, and they are under threat from the effects of climate change. Award-winning photographers Shane Gross and Cristina Mittermeier are using their images to aid global marine and freshwater ecosystem conservation efforts, and to bring public attention to the importance of our oceans. Gross, a co-founder of the Canadian Conservation Photographers Collective, and Mittermeier, who is also a trained marine biologist, joined journalists Jenn Thornhill Verma and Ryan MacDonald in a pair of conversations at a Globe and Mail event in Toronto on June 24, in partnership with Rolex. They discussed the power of photography to spur change, responses to some of the best-known images, and current areas of focus. Questions and answers have been edited for length and clarity. Jenn Thornhill Verma: You've experienced the ocean from so many different places. What commonalities do you see from behind the camera? Shane Gross: The creatures and the currents don't care about our borders. One example is humpback whales: they'll migrate from Antarctica to French Polynesia. We need to do what we can to make sure that we are protecting not just what's in our waters but beyond that. A big topic of discussion today is the global oceans treaty. Beyond countries' (boundaries) there is still a lot of ocean, and right now it's completely lawless. The global ocean treaty is a United Nations event that hopefully will put some rules in place for that because we desperately need it. JTV: Your seahorse photo is a prime example of how bringing people to an environment they otherwise would not have the opportunity to experience can lend itself to pushing a policy envelope. Talk to us about that image. SG: The place in the photo is Seahorse National Park in the Bahamas. When I first started snorkelling there, we didn't even know what species of seahorses were there. I met with a scientist, Dr. Heather Masonjones, in 2016, and she went and counted how many seahorses were in there. In this pond that's a kilometre-and-a-half by a kilometre, she counted 800,000 seahorses. At the time there was a proposal to turn it into a marina, and also people taking seahorses to sell for the aquarium trade. We teamed up with conservation organizations to get this place protected. We gave talks at schools and used my photo to show the kids, we held community meetings, went to the government and met with the prime minister. It took almost 10 years but it is now fully protected. It's an example that it takes time and it's hard work, but change can happen and photography can be a big tool in that. JTV: How do you choose between sharing stunning images of the natural environment and these painful truths of what we're doing to the environment? SG: A friend of mine did a study for her PhD: she set up a photo gallery using some of my images that showed beautiful pictures with a donation box, then a gallery with hard-to-look-at reality images and a donation box. Then she did a third one that showed both, and a donation box. The first two received about the same amount of donations. It was the third one, showing the balance of the two, that got the most amount of donations. We need and we deserve to see both sides. But we also need to help people to fall in love with the ocean and care about it, and you're going to do that by showing mostly the beauty, in my opinion. JTV: How do you get to know the creatures you photograph, and how does getting to know them influence your work? SG: For me as a kid I know when I would go to the school library and take out a book, there were certain pages I would stop on: 'Wow, look at this fish called the royal grandma. It's half purple and half yellow, isn't that amazing?' I know that could happen for somebody else, and inspire them. It's about finding out what it is about the species or habitat you can show in as cool of a light as possible. Ryan MacDonald: Are there specific issues you want to bring to the forefront in this day and age? Cristina Mittermeier: Canada is a magnificent country. We can choose to coast and feel lucky that we have these resources, or we can be leaders. When I think of the high seas treaty and the countries that have yet to sign it, people are no longer looking at the United States for leadership, but they're going to be looking at us. So much of that hinges on public support. The work that I do is galvanizing public attention, maybe showing you something that you hadn't thought about before and the next time you read about it you'll know it's important. RM: Your photo of kelp speaks to relatability, and it also speaks to conservation. Can you tell us why something like kelp matters as much as all the other images of these beautiful creatures? CM: The ocean is the ecosystem that allows life to exist on planet Earth; it produces half of the oxygen we breathe. Biomes like kelp, like sea grass, are part of this machinery that's absorbing carbon dioxide. The ocean has absorbed 90 per cent of the excess heat on the planet, and now you can see it's no longer able to cope. We were in Indonesia six months ago and the water was 32.5 degrees — just uncomfortable for a human. Imagine what it's like for fish. As a result, we're seeing ecosystems degrade. We need to keep the ocean alive. RM: Tell us about your foundation, how does that figure into your work? CM: SeaLegacy was born when my husband (Paul) and I were shooting an assignment for National Geographic on the Pacific blob (mass of warm water) in 2017, and the temperature of the water from California to Alaska was four to seven degrees warmer than it's supposed to be. The fish sunk to deeper, cooler water, so animals like sea lions were starving. There was also an overabundance of some algae. When it gets too warm they over-bloom and produce toxic substances; when animals eat it, they experience full-body paralysis. It was a horrific thing to photograph, just thousands of dead animals. Paul said to me, 'we have to do more.' We decided to leave National Geographic and start a non-profit. The idea was to take our images and ability to communicate and shine light on the beautiful solutions happening and also on the horrors, to give hope and be a reminder. RM: We're in a fight for truth around the world, so I want to talk a bit about what you're doing to fight against artificial intelligence in image making. CM: It's such a threat to the work of any creative, and the saddest part of it is that we didn't know. When you start uploading your photos to (social media), the tiny little print said they could use all that data to train their robots. The first defence we have is our reputation, truthfulness and credibility. But the second one is I'm part of a coalition of photographers that started an app that opts images out of AI training. We're trying to turn the tap off.
Yahoo
28-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Investigation uncovers huge smuggling network with shocking cargo: 'What we're seeing is just the tip of the iceberg'
They might look like underwater fairy tale creatures, but seahorses are being trafficked by the millions, and most people are unaware of this. A recent study uncovered a huge global smuggling network that's quietly stripping them from the ocean. The CBC reports that a study published in Conservation Biology found that nearly 5 million seahorses were seized by authorities between 2010 and 2021, across 62 countries, worth around $29 million. And that's just what got intercepted. "The nearly 300 seizures we analyzed were based only on online records and voluntary disclosures including government notices and news stories. This means that what we're seeing is just the tip of the iceberg," said Sarah Foster, lead author and researcher at the University of British Columbia's Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, per CBC. Most dried seahorses are used in traditional medicine, especially in China and Hong Kong. Some also turn up in Canada, sold in shops and online. Researchers uncovered complex smuggling routes. Some seahorses were hidden in luggage. Larger shipments moved by sea — often packed with other trafficked wildlife like shark fins, pangolin scales, and ivory. One shipment took a bizarre route: West Africa to Peru to Vietnam to China. Seahorses may be tiny, but they play a big role in keeping marine ecosystems balanced. Take them out, and the food chain starts to wobble. Worse, they're usually harvested through bottom trawling, a destructive fishing method that drags massive nets across the seafloor. "By the time they've pulled these nets out of the water, everything is already dead," said Max Valentine, campaign director at Oceana, per CBC. She continued, "So we've lost all of that biomass, all of those organisms from the environment." Valentine also shared that when she first learned about the "bombshell" seahorse smuggling study, she felt "shocked and appalled." Do you think America has a plastic waste problem? Definitely Only in some areas Not really I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Right now, 15 species are threatened — two critically endangered, 13 listed as vulnerable, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. In wildlife smuggling cases, sometimes the animals are introduced into the wild where they don't belong and become invasive, destroying the native species and ecosystems around them. This isn't just bad for marine life. Coastal communities rely on healthy oceans for food, jobs, and long-term survival. Seahorses are supposed to be protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, signed by 183 countries. It requires permits for legal trade, but those are hard to get, and many sidestep the process. "Most of this illegal trade is [from] people who are not catching them with the permits, or with the regulations in place," Valentine told CBC. Researchers say better global coordination and smarter enforcement, especially at ports, are key. There's hope. By exposing this "devastating harvest," the study could help protect seahorses and the ocean life that depends on them. Want to help? It's important to stay informed. Skip products made with marine life. Support smart ocean policies. And if you live near the coast, here's a guide to protecting marine biodiversity. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
ABC News
25-06-2025
- Science
- ABC News
University of Queensland researchers survey population of endangered White's Seahorse
Researchers hope a survey of endangered seahorse populations in Queensland waters will lead to a better understanding of a fish "very little" is known about. White's Seahorse is found in seagrass beds along Australia's east coast, and scientists say their presence can illustrate the health of marine ecosystems. The species grows to between 10 and 15 centimetres, and is considered endangered in New South Wales and Queensland, as well as at a federal level. Lead researcher and PhD candidate at the University of Queensland (UQ), Rowan Carew, said most of research on the the seahorse has been done in NSW. "In Queensland we really don't know how many there are, how they live, what kind of habitats they're on and what kind of threats they're facing," Ms Carew said. Associate Professor Karen Cheney from UQ's school of environment said research would mostly take place in Moreton Bay, where the Brisbane River met the sea, as well as on the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast. "We keep seeing them, we know that they're here, we just don't know anything about their population structure, what type of habitat they like to live on, and we just don't know how many we've got," she said. Recorded sightings by citizen scientists have given researchers an understanding of where solid populations might be, but Ms Carew said it was difficult to establish how many seahorses there were because there was no "baseline". "In terms of future conservation, we are trying to figure out what areas are going to be the most important," she said. Ms Carew said seahorses were "really awesome, charismatic little fish" that were considered an "indicator species" for ecosystem health. White's Seahorse can alter their colour, both long-term for camouflage and in short fast patterns, which are part of their mating rituals. The seahorses are "relatively monogamous" and do a replication of their mating ritual every morning to "learn each other's movements", Ms Carew said. "They colour match and flash different colours when they do their mating dance in the morning," she said. Dr Cheney said the species — sometimes called the Sydney Seahorse — was listed as endangered in NSW in 2020 after research showed some populations declined by 90 per cent over six years. That research led to conservation projects aimed at seahorse habitat, as well as breed and release programs in Port Stephens and Sydney. She said "very little" was known of the fish in Queensland, and researchers needed more data before similar efforts could be replicated in the state. Ms Carew said it was not even known if the Queensland seahorses were "genetically the same as the seahorses in Sydney". She said genetic testing would be a part of the project she hoped would lead to more studies in Queensland.
