For tourists, sea urchins may be an unwanted addition to a Hawaiian vacation, but these spiky little creatures are a welcomed habitat dweller for the islands’ coral reefs. The sea urchins, which are native to Hawaii’s waters, eat invasive smothering algae which threaten the … [Read more...] about Spiny sea friends help treat Hawaii’s smothered coral reefs
Hawaii
Damaged seamounts in Hawaii make incredible comeback after decades of protection
For decades, overfishing and trawling - dragging the ocean bottom with heavy nets - had been devastating parts of an underwater mountain range in the Pacific Ocean near Hawaii, wrecking deep-sea corals and destroying much of their ecological community. But now, after years of … [Read more...] about Damaged seamounts in Hawaii make incredible comeback after decades of protection
Engineering students develop giant vacuum that sucks plastic from the beach
A remote beach on the southern tip of Hawaii’s Big Island is known for its trash: In a typical year, volunteers collect around 20 tons of plastic waste from the area as currents wash up old toothbrushes, plastic bottles and other single-use packaging, and mounds of fishing … [Read more...] about Engineering students develop giant vacuum that sucks plastic from the beach
‘Supercorals’ offer glimmer of hope for one of world’s most biodiverse ecosystem
Anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions have caused an increase in the global surface temperature of approximately 1°C since pre-industrial times, making ocean water warmer and more acidic. This has led to unprecedented mass coral bleaching events which – combined with growing … [Read more...] about ‘Supercorals’ offer glimmer of hope for one of world’s most biodiverse ecosystem
Endangered sea turtles are making a comeback in the Pacific Ocean
Amidst the seemingly endless stream of bad news we hear about the world’s oceans on a daily basis, here’s some good news: According to a new survey of sea life in the Pacific Ocean, endangered green sea turtles are making a lively comeback as populations along dozens of coral … [Read more...] about Endangered sea turtles are making a comeback in the Pacific Ocean