Ships in Australian waters are getting bigger and more numerous all the time. We need a plan to help them avoid crashing into whales and other large sea creatures.
Australia has the third largest marine jurisdiction in the world, a vast ocean territory that contains important natural and biological resources. And it needs protecting.
The oceans are filled with sounds produced by animals. However, a recent study shows that ocean sounds are diminishing due to nutrient pollution and ocean acidification.
Coal dust and oil can spread toxic chemicals hundreds of kilometres out to sea. But Australia’s monitoring guidelines do not meet the standards used in countries such as the United States.
An estimated one-third of corals have now died in the parts of the Great Barrier Reef hit hardest by bleaching, meaning recovery could take years or even decades.
Infectious diseases are a normal part of ocean ecosystems, just as they are on land. But climate change is altering the oceans in ways that could make marine diseases spread farther and faster.
Dave West from the environmental group Boomerang Alliance told Fairfax that if you’ve got an average seafood diet in Australia, you’re probably ingesting about 11,000 plastic pieces a year. Is that right?
We know a lot about the potential negative effects of ocean acidification on marine creatures. But might some species actually benefit? The answer is yes, but this isn’t necessarily a good thing.
Some things that develop as normal in elephant sharks and other marine life can mimic things we see in human disease. That makes these ‘mutants’ ideal for study to find out why things go wrong in humans.
Over the past five years we’ve seen a significant increase in research on ocean acidification and warming seas, and their effect on marine life. Overall, unfortunately, the news is not good.
We know the warming seas are forcing some marine life to new waters, but we don’t know much about how fast and how far they are moving. But now you can help scientists find the answers with Redmap.
It’s long been known that it’s the male seahorse that gives birth to the young. But what role the father plays in the gestation is only now being revealed.