Category: Science

Last year’s Shark Week coverage

Posted on By David Shiffman 2 Comments on Last year’s Shark Week coverage
Popular Culture, Science

The online shark science community has been critical of the Discovery Channel’s “Shark Week” in the past because some of the documentaries promote fear of sharks at a time when we should be promoting respect and conservation. According to the Dorsal Fin blog, this year is looking like it will bring us more of the same, though one particular story won’t be covered because it happened so recently.  Since Shark Week is starting to be discussed again by the blogosphere, I am re-posting all of last year’s Shark Week coverage. This includes an interview with the Discovery Channel’s Senior Science Editor (originally here), a detailed evaluation of each of the Shark Week specials (originally here), and ten suggestions for how to improve future Shark Week programming (originally here). All of the original comments are preserved at the old site.

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Hatteras to Sargasso

Posted on By Bluegrass Blue Crab 2 Comments on Hatteras to Sargasso
Science

the R/V Cape Hatteras leaving port

I have absolutely no reason to be at sea. I don’t do oceanographic research, don’t work in any way, shape, or form with phytoplankton, and I barely have the time to set up my own research trips let alone take two weeks to help on someone else’s. Yet here I am, my first day aboard the R/V Cape Hatteras on a cruise to the Sargasso to study phytoplankton energetics.

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Update from Antarctica – What is MISHAP?

Posted on By Guest Writer 1 Comment on Update from Antarctica – What is MISHAP?
Science

A pod of killer whales in Flandres Bay

Fresh from Antarctica, this update comes to us from Dr. Douglas Nowacek, one of the Principal Investigators for the MISHAP project, by way of our field correspondent, Reny Tyson. Follow along with their adventures at Tagging Whales in the Antarctic Seas.

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Crowdsourcing ConGen – A Reading List

Posted on By Andrew Thaler 1 Comment on Crowdsourcing ConGen – A Reading List
Conservation, Science

This is a little different from my usual Crowdsourcing ConGen posts. I recently completed my qualifying exams for PhD candidacy, so have a very large reading list compiled for population and conservation genetics. So, if you’re interested in the field, you should check out some of these papers, and if you know of any others that should be included, please let me know in the comments.

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Scientia Pro Publica #30

Posted on By David Shiffman 5 Comments on Scientia Pro Publica #30
Science

I am proud to host the latest edition of Scientia Pro Publica, a blog carnival that celebrates that best science, medicine, and nature writing aimed at the general public. Biology/Evolution/Conservation Melissa from Out Walking the Dog invites you to celebrate Bird Neck Appreciation Day. Learn how and why bird necks are so flexible and diverse. … Read More “Scientia Pro Publica #30” »

Monday Morning Blogaerobics – some advice for your first trip to sea

Posted on By Andrew Thaler 3 Comments on Monday Morning Blogaerobics – some advice for your first trip to sea
Science

Next week our own Bluegrass Blue Crab will be embarking on her first research cruise – out to the Sargasso Sea. Over the years I’ve compiled a list of advice that I send out to my colleagues for their first voyage. So here is some advice for your first trip to sea. Everyone gets seasick. … Read More “Monday Morning Blogaerobics – some advice for your first trip to sea” »

The Menhaden of History

Posted on By Andrew Thaler 8 Comments on The Menhaden of History
Conservation, Science

ResearchBlogging.orgMenhaden were the most important fisheries throughout American history. When the first settlers learn to farm corn, it was with menhaden that they fertilized the seeds. When the whaling industry reached its height, it was outweighed by menhaden oil. Menhaden ruled the ocean from the middle of the food chain, they were the dominant prey of most large predatory fish. They swarmed the sea in schools several miles long and millions of fish deep. Their huge biomass supported by plankton, they regulated algal blooms, mediated the transfer of primary production up the food chain, filtered the ocean.

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