What a year 2018 was! From oceanography to SCUBA surveys, and intertidal monitoring, to hook-and-line surveys, it’s been a jam packed year. In the video below, we’re diving into some of our work in 2018, and a few of our favorite stories are below. Also, scroll down to take a peek below for our annual highlights infographic.
From our families to yours – wishing you a wonderful 2019!
A few stories from 2018:
- Students snapshots diving into nearshore research – We collaborate with many students along the west coast on numerous projects. From lingcod life histories and juvenile Dungeness crab genetics, to coralline algae signaling and sea star wasting disease – student research provides invaluable contributions to nearshore ocean and marine reserves science.
- Strange creatures cast ashore – In winter and spring, Oregon’s beaches can turn a vivid hue of purplish blue thanks to the invertebrate Velella velella, or “By-the-wind Sailor.” Storms blow these odd creatures ashore, stranding them by uncountable numbers. Another strange species occasionally found on the beach are salps. Salps resemble jellyfish without tentacles, but actually belong to a group of animals called tunicates. Read more here.
- Diagnosing Sea Star Wasting Syndrome – In 2014, the Pacific Coast of North America was hit by a mysterious epidemic that wiped out millions of sea stars, marking the largest marine animal disease event in recorded history. Learn how to diagnose this disease here.
- Invertebrate spotlight – many interesting species live beneath the ocean’s surface in our nearshore waters. From crabs to mind-bending mollusks of the intertidal zone, to sea stars and barnacles, the ocean is a fascinating place.