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Something Wicked This Way Comes, Except the Weed Hydrilla
Something wicked this way comes, if it involves invasive species in estuaries such as Chesapeake Bay and their tributary rivers like the Potomac. But in the exception that proves the rule, the introduced weed Hydrilla verticillata has improved water quality in the Potomac River near Washington, DC, and created habitat for species like migrating ducks.
Largest Marine Protected Area on Earth Created By a Nation that's Among World's Smallest
One raised-coral island and 32 atolls are all it is, but the country of Kiribati, which straddles the equator and borders the International Date Line, has taken a giant leap for humankind, and for marine life: establishing the world's largest marine protected area. Kiribati is comprised of three distinct island groups: the Phoenix Islands, Gilbert Islands, and Line Islands, with a total of 33 atolls, making it the largest atoll nation in the world.
Trash in the Ocean: Not A Pretty Picture
What do cigarette filters, food wrappers, plastic beverage bottles, and cigar tips have in common? They, along with caps and lids, straws and cans, are among the top 10 ocean debris items collected during the Ocean Conservancy's International Coastal Cleanup (ICC). The ICC is a worldwide, one-day-a-year effort to involve people in removing trash from beaches and waterways, and to identify the sources of debris and change the behaviors that cause pollution.
Fish Live in Water, Birds in Trees: Or Do They?
Fish live in water, birds in trees. Or so marine scientists thought. Then they found the mangrove killifish, Kryptolebias marmoratus, living in logs, far above the waterline. Reports of new habitats for a group of organisms are rare, according to biologists Scott Taylor of the Brevard County Environmentally Endangered Lands Program in Melbourne, Florida; Bruce Turner of Virginia Tech; and Ben Chapman of the University of Leeds in the UK.