Bizarre to the Bone
Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Published: 8 May 2013
Scripps researchers found that bone-eating Osedax worms secrete acid to dissolve whale bones, allowing symbiotic bacteria to help extract nutrients. These gutless worms may have evolved this strategy long before whales existed.
Keywords: Osedax, boneworms, whale carcass, acid secretion, symbiosis, marine biology, Scripps Oceanography
Lander May Touch Down Again in Fall
Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Published: 7 July 2013
James Cameron donated the lander from his 2012 Mariana Trench dive to Scripps Oceanography. The platform may return to the deep sea soon to study extreme microbes, aiding exploration of Earth's least-known frontier.
Keywords: James Cameron, Mariana Trench, deep-sea lander, Scripps Oceanography, DEEPSEA CHALLENGE, ocean exploration, microbiology
Coastal Power Plant Records Reveal Decline in Key Southern California Fishes
Integrated Marine Observing System
Published: 9 July 2013
A 40-year study using fish caught at California power plants shows a 78% decline in coastal fish populations, especially forage fish, due to ocean changes rather than overfishing, affecting marine ecosystems like sea lion health.
Keywords: fish decline, forage fish, ocean warming, power plant data, Scripps Oceanography, marine ecosystem, sea lions
