https://phys.org/ en-us Phys.org internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. Climate change and sea level rise are altering the chemistry of Biscayne Bay in ways that could threaten South Florida's coastal ecosystems, water resources, fisheries, and recreation, according to a study led by scientists from the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science and Miami-Dade County's Department of Environmental Resources Management. Researchers found that over the past 20 years, Biscayne Bay has become warmer, saltier, and more acidic. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-decades-climate-biscayne-bay-warmer.html Environment Mon, 01 Jun 2026 19:20:04 EDT news699550561 A collaborative research team has revealed the long-overlooked carbon storage potential of coral reef ecosystems and how reef-dwelling fish, corals, and surface sediments jointly shape reef carbon reservoirs. The paper is published in the journal Advanced Science. The team was led by The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), the Institute of Zoology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IOZ-CAS) and the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou) (GML). https://phys.org/news/2026-05-south-china-sea-coral-reefs.html Ecology Fri, 22 May 2026 14:40:03 EDT news698669101 In many underwater ecosystems, seagrass meadows act as a food source, a safe haven, and an ecological lynchpin. But until now, very little was known about how these plants reproduce—critical information for conserving the meadows. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-seagrass-genetic-individuals-clone-underwater.html Plants & Animals Fri, 22 May 2026 00:00:01 EDT news698574842 Sea levels are rising not only on average, but also in their seasonal fluctuations. This is a lesser-known trend that could have major consequences for mudflats, salt marshes and other coastal ecosystems. Researchers from the Netherlands and Flanders describe these findings in a study published on 13 May in Nature Climate Change. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-seasonal-sea-major-impact.html Environment Wed, 13 May 2026 15:59:55 EDT news697906742 Under the lead of the Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemünde (IOW), climate simulations were used to investigate how 19 inland seas, including the Baltic Sea, are responding to climate change. The researchers found that they have been warming faster than the global ocean since the 2000s. Projections show that marine heat waves will affect around 60% of these seas on an average annual basis as early as the middle of the 21st century. Without adherence to the Paris Agreement targets, up to 90% of these seas would be affected by heat waves. The study contributes to climate change management practices and was published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-inland-seas-widespread-midcentury.html Earth Sciences Mon, 11 May 2026 17:30:01 EDT news697738021 Heat stress from marine heat waves can create a toxic relationship between seagrasses and a hidden ecosystem of bacteria, transforming a previously beneficial co-existence between marine plants and microbes into a harmful one, a University of Sydney and UNSW study has found. The research is published in New Phytologist. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-hot-marine-toxic-relationship-seagrasses.html Ecology Wed, 06 May 2026 12:00:09 EDT news697284961 Scientists from UC San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the Centro para la Biodiversidad Marina y la Conservación in Mexico have developed a tool that identifies mangrove patches facing the greatest risk of degradation. The tool, called the Mangrove Threat Index and described in a study published in the journal Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, aims to provide an empirical argument for conservation before vulnerable ecosystems are lost rather than after, said the researchers. The index yields a single number that local planners and communities can use to prioritize specific mangrove patches for protection. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-metric-mangroves.html Earth Sciences Thu, 16 Apr 2026 13:20:03 EDT news695558942 Evolution works over millennia. Climate change is moving far faster. That mismatch is killing some of the planet's most vital ecosystems, from California's towering redwoods to the seagrass meadows along its coast, both of which store vast amounts of carbon and support complex webs of life. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-climate-outpacing-evolution-scientists-dna.html Ecology Fri, 10 Apr 2026 12:07:03 EDT news695041543 The Chesapeake Bay's most popular crustacean has a dark streak. Cannibalism is the No. 1 killer of juvenile blue crabs in mid-salinity waters where they are known to congregate, according to a new study from the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. But shallow waters can offer a vital refuge. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-cannibalism-major-young-blue-crabs.html Plants & Animals Mon, 16 Mar 2026 15:00:01 EDT news692610481 Extreme heat can have a devastating effect on seagrass, but new research from Edith Cowan University (ECU) could shape how these vitally important marine ecosystems are managed and restored. In separate studies carried out on both the west and east coasts of Australia, researchers have investigated how seagrasses stand up to marine heat waves and prolonged ocean warming. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-seagrass-survive-extreme-exploring-species.html Plants & Animals Tue, 17 Feb 2026 11:16:31 EST news690549361 Florida's Indian River Lagoon (IRL), one of the state's most ecologically productive estuaries, is facing a growing but invisible threat that could reshape its marine ecosystems. Over the past decade, the lagoon has suffered severe degradation caused by nutrient pollution, excessive freshwater runoff, harmful algal blooms (HABs), and declining water quality. These changes have led to the loss of tens of thousands of acres of seagrass and have negatively impacted shellfish, fish, dolphins, manatees and other key species. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-shellfish-uncovers-acidic-indian-river.html Plants & Animals Tue, 03 Feb 2026 09:59:39 EST news689335141 A new study from the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science shows that juvenile Atlantic nurse sharks (Ginglymostoma cirratum) grow more rapidly as juveniles and reach smaller maximum sizes than nurse sharks in Bimini, Bahamas—locations so close that these populations have historically been assumed to be the same. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-atlantic-nurse-sharks-faster-growth.html Plants & Animals Wed, 28 Jan 2026 08:32:43 EST news688811522 For the first time, a study by researchers at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego integrates climate-related damages to the ocean into the social cost of carbon—a measure of economic harm caused by greenhouse gas emissions. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-ocean-impacts-economic-climate.html Earth Sciences Thu, 15 Jan 2026 05:00:07 EST news687607168 An international team of scientists has developed ways to measure and compare the impact of "darkwaves"—when extreme weather events or human activities reduce underwater light for extended periods, affecting the stability of marine ecosystems. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-impact-darkwaves-marine-ecosystems-revealed.html Ecology Tue, 13 Jan 2026 10:00:03 EST news687520672 Aquatic plants are specialized evolutionary groups adapted to life in water. They play critical roles as food and medicinal supplies (e.g., lotus root and foxnut) and industrial raw materials (e.g., reeds), as well as in ecological restoration. While most aquatic lineages have independently evolved from terrestrial ancestors, the genomic dynamics underlying this adaptation remain largely unexplored. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-genomic-reveals-vascular-aquatic-environments.html Plants & Animals Fri, 12 Dec 2025 11:37:23 EST news684761821 Sea urchins are ecosystem engineers, the marine equivalent of mega-herbivores on land. By grazing and shredding seaweed and seagrass, they control algal growth and promote the survival of slow-growing organisms like corals and some calcifying algae. They are likewise prey for a plethora of marine mammals, fish, crustaceans, and sea stars. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-canary-islands-link-global-sea.html Plants & Animals Thu, 11 Dec 2025 00:00:01 EST news684583891 Today, the Arabian Gulf is home to manatee-like marine mammals called dugongs that shape the seafloor as they graze on seagrasses. A newly described fossil site in Qatar reveals that ancient sea cows engineered aquatic ecosystems in a similar way more than 20 million years ago. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-fossils-reveal-sea-cows-arabian.html Ecology Wed, 10 Dec 2025 07:00:01 EST news684498901 White oval squid (Sepioteuthis lessoniana sp. 2), known locally as shiro-ika, are medium-sized squids naturally distributed in the Indian and western Pacific oceans, flittering in and out of a wide range of different habitats—from shallow seagrass beds, over coral reefs, to depths of 100m along coastal environments. https://phys.org/news/2025-11-ingenuity-white-oval-squid-camouflage.html Plants & Animals Wed, 26 Nov 2025 10:10:02 EST news683373802 A team of international researchers led by the University of Vienna have investigated the development of shark and ray biodiversity over the past 100 million years. Their surprising results show a continuous decline in diversity since the Eocene, 45 million years ago, which contradicts previous assumptions that biodiversity was either stable or increasing. This study, recently published in Scientific Reports, provides crucial insights for modern marine conservation. https://phys.org/news/2025-11-shark-ray-diversity-declining-previous.html Ecology Thu, 20 Nov 2025 09:52:04 EST news682854722 An international study presents the first global assessment of blue carbon accumulated in the living parts of seagrass plants. According to the results, their leaves, rhizomes and roots store up to 40 million tons of carbon worldwide. https://phys.org/news/2025-11-blue-forest-figures-global-carbon.html Earth Sciences Wed, 05 Nov 2025 15:40:04 EST news681579601 Seagrasses preserve our oceans, offering safe harbor for sea life, calming rough waters, and storing excess carbon dioxide. Dozens of seagrass species protect coastlines around the globe, including the common North American eelgrass, Zostera marina. https://phys.org/news/2025-10-hybrid-seagrass-enable-genome-oceans.html Plants & Animals Wed, 29 Oct 2025 16:20:05 EDT news680972670 A new global synthesis published today in Nature Reviews Biodiversity reveals how seabirds act as powerful connectors between marine and terrestrial ecosystems and why protecting seabirds is a powerful opportunity when tackling the triple crises of climate change, failing ocean health, and biodiversity loss. https://phys.org/news/2025-10-global-reveals-seabirds-critical-connectors.html Plants & Animals Mon, 27 Oct 2025 13:00:01 EDT news680788240 Most coral reefs will soon stop growing and may begin to erode—and almost all will do so if global warming hits 2°C, according to a new study in the western Atlantic. An international team, led by scientists from the University of Exeter, assessed 400 reef sites around Florida, Mexico and Bonaire. https://phys.org/news/2025-09-coral-reefs-climate.html Plants & Animals Wed, 17 Sep 2025 11:00:28 EDT news677233562 A pioneering study led by researchers from the Interdisciplinary Center of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR) and the Marine and Environmental Sciences Center (MARE) identifies seaweed forests on the northern coast of Portugal as strategic allies in carbon capture and storage. https://phys.org/news/2025-09-marine-forests-northern-portugal-kelp.html Earth Sciences Mon, 15 Sep 2025 11:18:04 EDT news677153881 Temperatures in the Mediterranean are currently rising to record levels. Instead of a refreshing dip, holidaymakers in places like Greece, Italy, and Spain, among other places, are now facing water temperatures up to 28° C or even higher. With an average water temperature of 26.9° C, July 2025 was the warmest since records began for the Mediterranean Sea, according to the Copernicus Earth Observation Service. https://phys.org/news/2025-09-climate-mediterranean-sea.html Environment Fri, 05 Sep 2025 12:18:06 EDT news676293481 Seagrass has the potential to be one of the world's most effective sponges at soaking up and storing carbon, but we don't yet know how nutrient pollution affects its ability to sequester carbon. https://phys.org/news/2025-09-nutrient-enriched-seagrass-carbon-nutrition.html Plants & Animals Wed, 03 Sep 2025 15:21:18 EDT news676131669 A team of researchers from Monash University has made a discovery that could reshape our understanding of greenhouse gas emissions from coastal ecosystems. Published in Nature Geoscience, the study reveals sandy coastlines, which make up half the world's continental margins, are a previously overlooked source of methane. https://phys.org/news/2025-09-seaweed-sandy-coastlines-contributes-greenhouse.html Earth Sciences Mon, 01 Sep 2025 10:08:03 EDT news675940081 Marine life may be more resilient to climate stress than previously thought, thanks to shifting oxygen levels in coastal waters. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-shifting-oxyscape-key-tackling-deoxygenation.html Ecology Mon, 28 Jul 2025 12:09:04 EDT news672923341 The long-term impacts of marine heat waves on biodiversity and management strategies required to mitigate further damage were the focus of a review by researchers at The University of Western Australia. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-climate-marine-threatening-ocean-biodiversity.html Ecology Wed, 16 Jul 2025 09:35:43 EDT news671877338 Scientists warn that the future of our oceans and climate goals depends on reconnecting the ecological threads that hold coastal habitats together. https://phys.org/news/2025-06-seascapes-urgent-habitat-reconnection-climate.html Ecology Fri, 13 Jun 2025 10:17:04 EDT news669028621