Thanks for everyone who has donated to my SciFund Challenge shark feeding ecology project so far! Though I have surpassed my minimum funding goal of $3,000, I am still able to receive additional funds and all will be used for sample analysis fees. The offer to join us for a day of shark research still stands.
There are also other marine biology projects involved in the SciFund Challenge that need your support! A brief description of some (provided by the lead scientist on each project) is below, along with a link to learn more and donate.
Sex in the sea: uncovering the mating behavior of giant sea bass
“This study focuses on the reproductive behavior and strategies of Giant Sea Bass. They are extremely important to the California kelp forest ecosystem, but are critically endangered due to overfishing. Very little work has been done with Giant Sea Bass and this research will help us understand their basic biology and provide better protection for this magnificent beast.” – Brian Clark
Giant seabass, photo courtesy Brian Clark
Searching for Seahorses & Sustainability
“Last year I spent three months searching for seahorses in Thailand, but found only eight individuals. This was surprising because Thailand is the world’s largest exporter of seahorses, sourcing its seahorses from local fisheries. Why were seahorses so hard to find? Was I looking in the wrong places, using the wrong methods, or had so many seahorses been captured in fishing gear, were there none to be found? My future research will uncover the answer.” – Lindsay Aylesworth
Seahorse. Photo courtesy Lindsay Aylesworth, University of British Columbia
How can we better protect the biodiversity of the rocky intertidal zones?
“My study is looking at what affects the biodiversity of rocky intertidal sites (tide pools) in San Diego, CA. How does visitor awareness of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) correlate to species biodiversity in the tide pools? How does visitor activities correlate to species biodiversity in the tide pools. If increased visitor awareness equals greater biodiversity, this will provide substantial justification for increased community outreach efforts, improved visitor education, better signage and more enforcement at MPA tide pools.” – Monica Tydlaska
A tidepool, photo courtesy Monica Tydlaska
A complete list of all 23 SciFund Challenge projects can be found here. You can donate until Friday, March 7th. Please consider supporting these projects, and helping to spread the word about them!