Viruses don’t immediately kill algae but live in harmony with them Scientists have long believed that ocean viruses always quickly kill algae, but Rutgers-led research shows they live in harmony with algae and viruses provide a “coup de grace” only when blooms of algae are already stressed and dying. The study, published in the journal Nature Communications, will likely change how scientists view …
Land Development in New Jersey Continues to Slow
It’s unclear how the COVID-19 pandemic and efforts to fight inequality will affect future trends Land development in New Jersey has slowed dramatically since the 2008 Great Recession, but it’s unclear how the COVID-19 pandemic and efforts to fight societal and housing inequality will affect future trends, according to a Rutgers co-authored report. Between 2012 and 2015, 10,392 acres in the …
NSF News: Research reveals coral spawning features
Surprisingly, stony coral sperm and eggs share similar genetic functions By NSF Public Affairs, originally posted on August 25, 2020 During coral mass spawning events, which are in sync with the moon’s cycle, stony coral colonies simultaneously release an underwater cloud of sperm and eggs for fertilization. But how do the sperm and eggs survive as plankton before settling on …
#EOAS in the News: “Managing the Majestic Jumbo Flying Squid”
In an article in The New York Times titled “Managing the Majestic Jumbo Flying Squid,” EOAS faculty member Malin Pinsky, an associate professor in the Rutgers Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources, said, “The impacts of climate change and variability are playing out much more dramatically in the ocean than on land . . . It’s a largely unseen and yet incredibly dramatic …
Algae in the Oceans Often Steal Genes from Bacteria
by Todd Bates Algae in the oceans often steal genes from bacteria to gain beneficial attributes, such as the ability to tolerate stressful environments or break down carbohydrates for food, according to a Rutgers co-authored study. The study of 23 species of brown and golden-brown algae, published in the journal Science Advances, shows for the first time that gene acquisition had …
How Old are Whale Sharks? Nuclear Bomb Legacy Reveals Their Age
Cold War testing radioactivity used to determine longevity of largest fish on Earth Nuclear bomb tests during the Cold War in the 1950s and 1960s have helped scientists accurately estimate the age of whale sharks, the biggest fish in the seas, according to a Rutgers-led study. It’s the first time the age of this majestic species has been verified. One …
Seeding Research
Three EOAS grants offer the promise of learning and discovery By Craig Winston The coronavirus crisis has brought the country, if not the world, to a halt, but it can’t completely derail research at the Rutgers Institute of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences (EOAS). Two of the three projects that received EOAS seed grants for the current academic year are …
How Stable is Deep Ocean Circulation in Warmer Climate?
Altered circulation might have cooled northern areas of North America and Europe If circulation of deep waters in the Atlantic stops or slows due to climate change, it could cause cooling in northern North America and Europe – a scenario that has occurred during past cold glacial periods. Now, a Rutgers coauthored study suggests that short-term disruptions of deep ocean circulation occurred …
#EOAS in the News: Coastal Scientists Prepare to Retreat from Field Station Threatened by Rising Seas
Researchers who study our vulnerable shorelines are moving to higher ground By Jon Hurdle, NJ Spotlight Scientists at a coastal research station that studies how rising sea levels are threatening Shore communities and the environment are preparing to move their work inland to escape worsening flooding and erosion on an isolated peninsula near Tuckerton. The Rutgers University Marine Field Station …
Mother Earth: Another COVID-19 Victim?
Two EOAS faculty members describe the ways COVID-19 might impact New Jersey’s waterways and water quality By Carol Peters Looking for hand sanitizer, spray disinfectants, cleaning wipes, paper towels, and toilet paper? You are probably now out of luck. These products and others have already disappeared from stores all over New Jersey. As global nations work to block transmission of …