Support for climate change action drops, poll finds

Americans' support for government action on global warming remains high but has dropped during the past two years, according to a new survey.

Weed-eating fish 'help protect jobs, livelihoods'

Jobs, livelihoods and ecotourism industries can benefit from having a diverse supply of weed-eating fish on the world's coral reefs, marine researchers say. Despite their small size, relative to the sharks, whales, and turtles that often get more attention, herbivorous fish play a vital role in maintaining the health of coral reefs, which support the livelihoods of 500 million people worldwide, say researchers.

Climate change may create price volatility in the corn market

Corn, America's No. 1 crop, could see its prime growing region shift to the Canadian border or its price volatility increase sharply within 30 years. A new study points to climate change as the cause.

Marine scientists urge government to reassess oil spill response

On the second anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon blowout, a national panel of researchers is urging the US federal government to reassess how it would respond to similar oil spills that might occur in the future.

BP oil spill, two years later: Natural recovery far greater than expected

This Friday, April 20, will mark two years since the explosion aboard the Deepwater Horizon oil rig caused vast quantities of crude oil to flow into the Gulf of Mexico. But despite the size of the spill, "the natural recovery is far greater than what anybody hoped when it happened," said a professor of biology. "The fears of most people -- that there would be a catastrophic collapse of the ecosystem in the Gulf -- never materialized."

Ocean acidification linked with larval oyster failure in hatcheries

A study by the scientists found that increased seawater carbon dioxide levels, resulting in more corrosive ocean water, inhibited the larval oysters from developing their shells and growing at a pace that would make commercial production cost-effective.

Gulf coast residents say BP oil spill changed their environmental views

Researchers have found that residents of Louisiana and Florida most acutely and directly affected by the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster -- the largest marine oil spill in U.S. history -- said they have changed their views on other environmental issues as a result of the spill.

Buy coal? New analysis shows purchasing fossil fuel deposits best way to fight climate change

New research suggests that actually buying coal, oil and other dirty fossil fuel deposits still in the ground could be a far better way to fight climate change.

Ocean acidification linked to larval oyster failure

Researchers have definitively linked an increase in ocean acidification to the collapse of oyster seed production at a commercial oyster hatchery in Oregon, where larval growth had declined to a level considered by the owners to be "non-economically viable."

Invasive species cost the Great Lakes millions: New paper assigns dollar figure to effects of shipborne invaders

A new article assigns a dollar figure on the cost to the Great Lakes from invasive species that originate in the ballast water of ocean-going vessels.

Size matters: Large marine protected areas work for dolphins

Ecologists in New Zealand have shown for the first time that Marine Protected Areas – long advocated as a way of protecting threatened marine mammals – actually work. Their study, based on 21 years' monitoring reveals that a marine sanctuary off the coast of Christchurch has significantly improved survival of Hector's dolphins – one of the rarest dolphins in the world.

Unprecedented impact of Deepwater Horizon on deep ocean revealed

Scientists report "compelling evidence" that the Deepwater Horizon oil spill has impacted deep-sea corals. Their study used underwater robots to investigate the corals and comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography to determine precisely the source of petroleum hydrocarbons found.

Deep-ocean impact of the Deepwater Horizon explosion revealed

Scientists have discovered compelling evidence of the impact of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on deep-sea corals. The researchers used a wide range of underwater vehicles, including the research submarine Alvin, as well as comprehensive chemical-analysis techniques to determine precisely the source of the petroleum hydrocarbons they found on the corals.

Ancient civilizations reveal ways to manage fisheries for sustainability

In the search for sustainability of the ocean's fisheries, solutions can be found in a surprising place: the ancient past. Marine scientists reconstructed fisheries yields over seven centuries of human habitation in Hawaii and the Florida Keys, the largest coral reef ecosystems in the United States, and evaluated the management strategies associated with periods of sustainability. The results surprised them.

What is the monetary value of a healthy ocean?

Scientists have attempted to measure the ocean's monetary value and to tally the costs and savings associated with human decisions affecting ocean health. The study estimates that if human impacts on the ocean continue unabated, declines in ocean health and services will cost the global economy $428 billion per year by 2050, and $1.979 trillion per year by 2100.

Chemical pollution in Europe's seas: The monitoring must catch up with the science, experts say

According to a recent poll of more than 10,000 citizens from 10 European countries, pollution is the primary concern of the public at large among all issues that threaten the marine environment. A new position paper shows that such public concern is not misplaced and is supported by scientific evidence.

One solution to global overfishing found

A new study indicates that "co-management" -- a collaborative arrangement between local communities, conservation groups, and governments -- provides one solution to a vexing global problem: overfishing.

Millions of Americans at risk of flooding as sea levels rise

Nearly four million Americans, occupying a combined area larger than the state of Maryland, find themselves at risk of severe flooding as sea levels rise in the coming century, new research suggests. Researchers say that with so many communities concentrated on US coasts, the odds for major storm damage get bigger every year.

Mathematical methods predicts movement of oil and ash following environmental disasters

For those involved in managing the fallout from environmental disasters like the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, it is essential to have tools that predict how the oil will move, so that they make the best possible use of resources to control the spill. Such tools now appear to be within reach.

Law that regulates shark fishery is too liberal, experts say

Shark fins are worth more than other parts of the shark and are often removed from the body, which gets thrown back into the sea. To curtail this wasteful practice, many countries allow the fins to be landed detached from shark bodies, as long as their weight does not exceed five per cent of the total shark catch. New research shows that this kind of legislation is too liberal.