Oceans

Oceans

Viruses might tame some algal blooms

The rapid demise of a giant, carbon-spewing algal bloom points to the influence of viral wranglers.

Oceans

World’s largest ocean dead zone may shrink as Earth warms

North Pacific dead zone may grow smaller, not expand, as climate change weakens Pacific Ocean trade winds.

Oceans

Mercury at ocean surface may have tripled since preindustrial times

Questions remain over dangers of toxic metal in environment.

Oceans

Whales and ships don’t mix well

A 15-year study of blue whales off California has found that major shipping lanes cut through feeding grounds.

Ecosystems

Offshore wind farms may be seal feeding grounds

Harbor seals were tracked visiting offshore wind farms, probably to find food, researchers say.

Oceans

Saharan dust explains Bahamas’ paradoxical existence

Windswept dust from the Sahara Desert may fertilize bacteria that built the Bahamas.

Environment

Microplastics lodge in crab gills and guts

Crabs can absorb microplastic particles through their gills and by eating polluted mussels.

Environment

Plastic goes missing at sea

A survey of the world’s oceans finds far less polymer trash than expected, and researchers don’t know where the rest of the plastic is.

Oceans

Dusk heralds a feeding frenzy in the waters off Oahu

Even dolphins benefit when layers of organisms in the water column overlap for a short period.

Climate

Violent storms may shatter sea ice

Tall waves’ effect on sea ice hints at troubled water in the future.

Ecosystems

Deep-sea trawling threatens oceans’ health

Dragging large nets along the seafloor to catch fish cuts organic matter and biodiversity in half and may threaten all of the world's underwater ecosystems.

Oceans

Deepwater Horizon methane lingered longer than thought

Microbes may not have consumed methane from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill as fast as previously thought.