To settle or not to settle? Oyster larvae settlement cues investigated
oysters

To settle or not to settle? Oyster larvae settlement cues investigated

The inclusion of ecosystem engineers in coastal planning is an approach being considered to mitigate coastal erosion in different environments worldwide. Oysters are reef building and can alter and improve their habitat acting as a barrier for coastal protection by sediment stabilization and wave...

WoRMS featured in Blue Planet II
BluePlanetII_showtile

WoRMS featured in Blue Planet II

"Covering almost three-quarters of the Earth's surface, the world’s great oceans are home to an incredibly diverse web of life. The World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) currently lists just under a quarter of a million species, with new ones being identified all the time. But even as we begin to...

Reef Life Pro App
shark coral reef

Reef Life Pro App

"The sea, once it casts its spell, it holds one in its net of wonder forever." (Jacques-Yves Cousteau). Take some time to go online and learn about many of the species families. Reef Life Pro is a great tool to learn about their anatomy, as well as some ID features. (Source: Reef Life Apps)

Assessing the state of the oceans
WOA II

Assessing the state of the oceans

The second World Ocean Assessment – WOA II – is a global exercise by hundreds of marine scientists to evaluate trends and identify knowledge gaps in the world ocean. Two chapters of WOA II have made use of several components of the LifeWatch Species Information Backbone.

Observing plankton to understand ocean health
RV Stevin mesh

Observing plankton to understand ocean health

Increasing human activities are putting the ocean under stress, threatening the ecological health of marine ecosystems and the services they provide to society. Since plankton are sensitive to changes in environmental conditions and are short-lived, they can be used as early warning systems for the...

PETROBRAS: where industry and science touch
sea turtle

PETROBRAS: where industry and science touch

Environmental responsibility is a hot topic these days! For the Brazilian oil and gas magnate Petrobras, this means caring for the safety of their operations and undertaking actions to balance their activities and the welfare of their workforce and of the communities. By improving products and...

DNA-based species validation of exotic mosquitoes (Diptera, Culicidae) in Belgium
mosquito

DNA-based species validation of exotic mosquitoes (Diptera, Culicidae) in Belgium

In the framework of the MEMO project, a monitoring program was set up at 23 localities where exotic mosquito species (EMS) that may act as disease vectors can get introduced in Belgium. The early detection of EMS, before populations become established, is of paramount importance to prevent local...