Phosphorus spikes linked to ancient marine mass extinctions
University of Western Australia
Published: 1 April 2026
UWA researchers show brief phosphorus pulses in ancient oceans coincided with the Late Ordovician and Late Devonian mass extinctions, when up to 85%% of marine species were lost.
Keywords: phosphorus, mass extinction, paleoceanography, marine chemistry, Ordovician, Devonian, ocean nutrients
Damselfish pick-up lines could have a regional accent
Australian Institute of Marine Science
Published: 26 March 2026
AIMS-led research finds damselfish produce distinct courtship sounds that vary between reef locations, with faster pulses at Lizard Island and slower ones at Ningaloo, suggesting local dialects.
Keywords: damselfish, bioacoustics, courtship, coral reef, Great Barrier Reef, Ningaloo, marine ecology
Tracking a monster: the unprecedented path of Tropical Cyclone Narelle across Australia's coral reefs
Australian Institute of Marine Science
Published: 10 April 2026
AIMS tracks the unprecedented path of Category 5 Cyclone Narelle across northern Australian coral reefs, with wave models predicting 13-metre swells threatening already heat-stressed reef systems.
Keywords: tropical cyclone, coral reefs, Great Barrier Reef, Ningaloo, wave damage, reef monitoring, bleaching
