December 18, 2014
Ocean Roundup: Deep Sea Sediments Act as Microplastic Sinks, Risso’s Dolphins Stranding in High Numbers, and More
BY: Brianna Elliott
– A federal report released this week found that temperatures in the Arctic are warming at twice the rate of those in lower latitudes. The report also discussed how these temperature and sea ice changes are negatively impacting polar bear populations and fish migrations. The Washington Post
– An underwater robot, the Nereid, is helping scientists understand food webs in the Arctic, particularly what happens in the lower levels of the food chain among fish that seals feed on. Scientists involved with the Nereid’s Arctic mission this past summer found that there is an abundance of marine life under Arctic sea ice, and that the Arctic food web is more complex than thought. Scientific American
– Since November, eight Risso’s dolphins have stranded along Tasmanian beaches in what officials say is an “unprecedented” number of strandings. Scientists aren’t sure why these dolphins are stranding in such high numbers, but say that these dolphins all appear undernourished. The Advocate
– A new study revealed why we might not be seeing microplastics on the ocean’s surface: They are sinking to the deep sea, where they’re accumulating in deep sea sediment. Scientists took samples from the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, and Indian Ocean, and found them in all sediment cores and coral colonies that they studied. The Guardian
– Earlier this week, President Obama banned oil and gas development indefinitely from Alaska’s Bristol Bay region, issuing a memorandum in a video on Tuesday. The region contributes to 40 percent of the United States’ wild-caught fish, and its fishery operations generate $2 billion each year. The Huffington Post