An Oceanic Phytoplankton Bloom In The South Atlantic Ocean. Phytoplankton Blooms Usually Occur Where

This Type of Algae Absorbs More Light for Photosynthesis Than Other Plants

An obscure and ecologically successful group of algae, known as cryptophytes, have evolved pigments that capture light where chlorophyll cannot, Dudycha and colleagues report in a series of recent papers. The extra energy absorption from more wavelengths of light has allowed these algae to thrive in a variety of diverse environments, from oceans to streams to ponds to mud puddles.

Untitled by artan

Why Octopuses Could Never Disappoint 

These cephalopods, who telegraph their moods by color changes and solve problems by using tools, have surprised me again and again.

And now it’s happened again. An octopus has astonished me.

This time, it’s a common octopus caught on camera in South African waters by a dive team for the documentary Blue Planet II, currently airing on BBC America in the United States.

The action is dramatic. A pyjama shark seizes the octopus. Just as the situation begins to look dire, the octopus stuffs the shark’s gills shut using its sinuous arms, making it impossible for the shark to breathe — until the shark releases it.

That was rather impressive

Meet MBARI: This team develops innovative new technology to map the seafloor 🤖🗺️

With marine life and ecosystems facing a rising tide of threats, the ocean exploration community needs nimble, cost-effective tools for measuring and monitoring ocean health. MBARI’s Control, Modeling, and Perception of Autonomous Systems Laboratory, known as the CoMPAS Lab is up to the challenge.

MBARI scientists and engineers build and adapt advanced technology that enhances ocean data collection. Led by engineer Giancarlo Troni, the CoMPAS Lab team develops scalable marine technology that can easily be modified for use in a wide variety of vehicles and platforms. 

Working with other teams across MBARI, the CoMPAS Lab leverages vehicles like the MiniROV to deploy and test new tools in Monterey Bay's submarine canyon and then adapt them for other mobile platforms. By sharing open-source design specifications and advanced algorithms with the wider ocean exploration community, we hope to expand access to MBARI’s engineering innovations.

MBARI technology is transforming what we know about the ocean and its inhabitants. Our scientists, engineers, and marine operations staff work together to create innovative tools for a more sustainable future where autonomous robots and artificial intelligence can track ocean health in real time and help us visualize ocean animals and environments. Studying our blue backyard is revealing our connection to the ocean—how it sustains us and how our actions on land may be threatening its future.

We’re spotlighting various teams at MBARI to showcase the different ways we’re studying the largest environment on Earth. We hope this series inspires a new generation of ocean explorers. Dive in.

Diatom seen through scanning electron microscope.

Phytoplankton (Coccolithophore) bloom!

Phytoplankton bloom in the Bay of Biscay.

The waters off the western coast of France show swirls of green and turquoise as a result of a phytoplankton bloom associated with increasing springtime temperatures.

Keep reading

Bioluminescent Dinoflagellates

(source)

What’s one of the best places in the world to find white sharks?

Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary.

Located in California north and west of San Francisco, the sanctuary is home to one of the most significant populations of white sharks on the planet. The waters around the Farallon Islands in particular provide critical feeding areas for the sharks’ annual migration.

So how do researchers in the sanctuary study the sharks? One way is to use a decoy shaped like a seal with a GoPro attached. When the shark investigates the decoy, the researchers can get the images they need to identify the shark.

Learn more about white sharks in Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary on the sanctuary’s website and in our video: