News and Features by Research Area or Topic
Posted on January 10th, 2013 in Coral, Ecosystem Management, Marine Spatial Planning, Seafloor Mapping, Seagrasses
Since 2000, the National Ocean Service and its partners have mapped more than 3 million acres (12,100 km2) of shallow-water (0-30 meters) coral reef habitats spanning the Pacific, Atlantic and Caribbean. The results of this body of work are summarized in a new report released by the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS), National Summary [...]
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Posted on October 1st, 2012 in Ecosystem Management, Harmful Algal Blooms, Monitoring & Event Response, Seagrasses
An ongoing NCCOS Event Response-funded investigation by Dr. Christopher Gobler at Stony Brook University has genetically identified the algal species Aureoumbra lagunensis as the culprit causing a brown tide bloom in east central Florida coastal lagoons. This confirms a significant expansion of brown tide harmful algal bloom (HAB) events in the United States. Previous Aureoumbra blooms had [...]
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Posted on September 28th, 2012 in Harmful Algal Blooms, Monitoring & Event Response, News Clips, Seagrasses
Scientists have preliminary confirmation that the algae clobbering vital sea grass and many kinds of popular fish in the Indian River Lagoon is a super-tiny plant with a big name that is otherwise known as “brown tide.” The algae, Aureoumbra lagunensis, is so minuscule that billions of them can grow in every quart of lagoon [...]
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Posted on September 27th, 2012 in Ecological Forecasts & Tools, Ecosystem Management, Restoration Support, Seagrasses
A recent assessment of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) monitoring programs revealed a global decline in the underwater plants’ abundance even though they are recognized worldwide for their many important ecological functions such as providing essential habitat for many commercially important species of fish, shellfish, and invertebrates. North Carolina has the third largest total area of SAV between Maine [...]
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Posted on April 27th, 2012 in Ecosystem Management, News Clips, Seagrasses
Seagrass: it might not sound very exciting, but according to experts these extensive marine flowering plants form the basis of one of the most productive ecosystems on Earth. In recent decades seagrass habitats have come under threat, from anthropogenic activities and climate change, and currently there is little consensus about which threats are causing the [...]
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Posted on June 29th, 2011 in Ecosystem Management, International, News Clips, Seagrasses
Seagrass meadows provide homes, food and nurseries for many marine creatures, in particular serving as feeding grounds for dugongs and western rock lobsters (Panulirus Cygnus) and breeding grounds for many commercially important fish species. They are also important for water quality, filtering water and serving as an indicator of the health of the marine ecosystem, [...]
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Posted on June 24th, 2010 in Ecosystem Management, International, Marine Spatial Planning, Restoration Support, Seagrasses
In response to a request from Portugal, researchers from the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science provided restoration guidance to a project whose goal is to shift parts of the Arrábida Natural Park back to its former seagrass-dominated landscape. Strong winter storms dramatically reduced both recovering natural seagrass beds as well as beds transplanted in [...]
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Posted on October 5th, 2006 in Ecosystem Management, Monitoring, Seagrasses
National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science and Special Projects Office scientists have published a spatial analysis of changes in submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) in Vieques Sound, east of Puerto Rico, and provided recommendations for future monitoring. SAV provides important habitat and food functions, for a wide variety of fish, invertebrates and birds, and changes in [...]
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