State of the Oceans — Log 58
YOUR WEEKLY BRIEFING FROM PARLEY
CLIMATE CHANGE
Understanding long-term hurricane cycles to better track climate change is complex, but researchers from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute have successfully constructed a 1,500-year record of storm activity by analyzing sediment from Blue Holes in the Bahamas. Blue Holes are like underwater sinkholes: they form when limestone erodes and fills with seawater. These geological phenomena are a great proxy for studying hurricanes because storms wash sand, coral, leaves and other debris into them, depositing a “hurricane layer” in the sediment that scientists can detect. Before this new research, the storm record only went back about 150 years, when the U.S. started to keep track of extreme weather. As our climate intensifies and hurricanes occur more frequently, studies like this one could help us better anticipate superstorms.
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MARINE CONSERVATION
Fish populations in Indonesia’s Kariwunjawa National Park have increased significantly after a destructive fishing practice was banned in 2011. Common throughout Southeast Asia, Muroami involves hammering corals to drive fish out into non-discriminatory nets. The custom is also dangerous for fishermen, who for the most part did not oppose the ban. Two years after the technique was made illegal, herbaceous fish stocks in the park more than doubled and wildlife diversity rose by 30%. Shinta Parede, a co-author of the study, emphasized that the these findings “support marine conservation programs in Indonesia and worldwide.”
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INNOVATION
This week, two innovative studies advanced our understanding of marine life and ocean carbon. Researchers from the University of Washington have been turning swordfish into oceanographers to investigate the ‘Twilight Zone’ located at 200-800m down. Using two specialized tags, the scientists are tracking swordfish movement and learning more about the deep waters they swim through. At the opposite extreme, a second study revealed the potential that satellites have to monitor ocean weather, circulation and temperature—all factors that determine how much carbon the oceans store. The research team is calling for more satellites to observe climate trends.
EDUCATION
Starting next year, Italian public schools will require students of all levels to study climate change and sustainability. Lorenzo Fioramonti, the country’s education minister, referred to the new curriculum as a “Trojan horse” that will “infiltrate” every subject. In elementary school, children will learn about connection to place, middle schoolers will delve into technical information, and high school students will master the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Recognizing the immediacy of the climate crisis, Fioramonti said: “The 21st century citizen must be a sustainable citizen.”
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MARINE LIFE
Thanks to a Facebook-and-Instagram-driven citizen science effort, researchers have identified Taiwan as one of the world’s diversity hotspots for pygmy seahorses. Coral-camouflaged and less than 3cm long, pygmy seahorses are beautiful but difficult-to-spot creatures. After coming across a picture of one seahorse off Orchid Island online, researchers decided to scour social media to find more. The team looked through 259 posts and confirmed the presence of five of the seven known pygmy sea horse species – including a newly-discovered one thought to be endemic to Japan.
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