South of Cape Cod, fiddler crabs and marsh grass have long had a mutually beneficial relationship. It’s a different story in the North, where the harms can ricochet through ecosystems.
The majestic St. Lawrence River, a jewel of economic, historical and environmental importance, reminds us of the need to preserve this essential ecosystem.
(Ludovic Pascal)
The waters of the St. Lawrence are running out of breath and bottom-dwelling organisms are already feeling the effects. Here’s how ecosystems are reacting.
The Ayès lake, in the Ariège region of the Pyrenees.
Dirk S. Schmeller
More trouble in Antarctica: the extent of frozen seawater fastened to the coast (called landfast ice) hit a record low in March 2022. If this trend persists, the consequences could be catastrophic.
The world’s oceans are getting hotter, quicker. And our marine species are seeking cooler waters. Keep your eyes peeled and you might spot one of these species on the move.
Alexandra Schnell, University of Cambridge; Andrew Crump, London School of Economics and Political Science, and Jonathan Birch, London School of Economics and Political Science
Octopus, crabs, prawns demonstrate clear signs of emotion, such as pain and ‘anxiety-like’ behaviour.
Eurythenes atacamensis, a giant scavenging amphipod from hadal depths of the Peru-Chile Trench.
Alan Jamieson
We discovered 11 (and probably more) new species of stygofauna living in water underground. These animals are usually blind, beautifully translucent and long-limbed.
Getting the job done. A female Asian water dragon (Physignathus cocincinus) produced a daughter (left) without the assistance of a male.
Skip Brown/Smithsonian’s National Zoo
Mercedes Burns, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Parthenogenesis, a form of reproduction in which an egg develops into an embryo without being fertilized by sperm, might be more common than you realized.
The radiodont Anomalocaris, with its large stalked eyes, is considered a top predator that swam in the oceans more than 500 million years ago.
Katrina Kenny
Our study on weird ancient marine animals called radiodonts supports the idea that vision played a crucial role during the Cambrian Explosion, a rapid burst of evolution about 500 million years ago.