Why does it matter how many species are out there? Are corals upside down sea jellies? Who is causing the climate crisis? I am a professional marine ecologist and conservationist talking about biodiversity, sustainability, and the wonders of the ocean.
The ocean provides food for billions of people. But even those who don’t touch seafood and never set foot on a beach are connected to the ocean. The ocean is so integral to our climate that declining ocean health will fuck with every single person on this planet in some way. Most of the ocean…
DetailsMarine protected areas affect the lives of countless people. I could even argue, as MPA affect the global climate, they influence everyone. Marine protection, just like the creation of national parks and reserves on land, is often a trade-off between the income of those benefiting from exploitation and the benefits of protection. One of the…
DetailsColorful fish swimming over just as colorful coral or hiding between the roots of mangrove forests. The coastal ecosystems have long fascinated humans. They are the part of the ocean most people stand a chance to interact with, to see, to explore. They are also among the most productive, biodiverse, and vulnerable ecosystems on this…
DetailsIf I told you there was a simple way to increase human well-being, alleviate poverty, lower inequality, facilitate adaption against climate change, increase catch for fishers, and grow larger fish that reproduce a lot, you’d probably call me a dreamer. And, I definitely am a dreamer, but I am also a scientist. And the thing…
DetailsGently gliding through the waters, rays look peaceful and calming. As close relatives of the sharks, this shows how arbitrarily humans prescribe characteristics to animals. Rays are calm and majestic, sharks are dangerous killers. And then, the very first topic I find during my research is shark abortions. Yes, shark abortions. But let’s start at…
DetailsFrom humpback whales feeding on tiny life to crabs living on plastic islands, there is a lot of life on and near the ocean surface. Today, we’ll talk about the upper layer of the ocean: the Sunlight Zone, with all the life it has to offer. Chapter 1: Sunlight We’ve talked a lot about dark…
DetailsScientists and activists have been yelling to protect the ocean. There is even a rise in demand for action from the general public. Politicians keep signing pledges. Clearly, ocean protection is a big deal. But what’s the state of things? Where are we and where do we need to go? What are MPA? Marine protected…
DetailsThere are two groups of jawless fishes, and I can’t even decide which one is creepier: the lampreys or hagfishes? The short version is that lampreys are fish with mouths that don’t have a jaw but rings and rings of teeth. They feed on blood and tissues, which probably loses them quite a few sympathy…
DetailsThe ocean is huge. The open ocean is a pretty vast space with a whole lot of what feels like nothing. But there’s a lot more life there than you think–and, don’t worry, I’m not talking about plankton. 70% of Earth’s surface is open ocean. Pelagic ecosystems really are the most common ecosystems out there!…
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