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418 posts in Research

Tracking two invasions for the cost of one

A shrimp, white in color, pictured against a black background.

While conducting early detection monitoring for invasive European green crab (Carcinus maenas), Washington Sea Grant Crab Team discovered a non-native shrimp Palaemon macrodactylus, hitherto unreported along Washington’s portion of the Salish Sea. By examining prior data, and tracking this species closely over subsequent years, the team which included researchers from SAFS, were able to consistently monitor the spread and increase of this species across the region.

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Without a trace: How is Russian seafood ending up on US plates?

A white dinner plate with fish, grated cheese and greens. On the right-hand side is a knife and fork, with a lemon at the top edge of the plate.

Whether it is food or clothing, people care about where their products come from. Seafood is no different. Governments, retailers, and customers care about the source of the seafood on their plate as it is an important factor for evaluating the product’s sustainability and whether it aligns with their values. In a new perspective piece published in npj Ocean Sustainability, Jessica Gephart worked with a team of researchers to look into a specific case of seafood traceability in relation to US imports after sanctions on Russia.

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Birdsong, insects, and streams: How are King County’s riparian habitats faring?

Stevan attaches an audio recording device to a tree with a green string. The background shows dense forest.

It’s not just fish being studied at SAFS. Undergraduates get to learn about a huge range of species, from teeny tiny parasites and insects, to seabirds and the largest mammals on Earth. And it’s not just animals either. It’s all the habitats in which these animals live and depend on. For Stevan Pekich, his capstone project is exploring how urbanization and insect health are affecting riparian-obligate bird species in our local King County.

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Scientists pilot a new method to measure the health of wild polar bears

Two polar bears - one adult and one cub - walk on land next to the water's edge. In the background, an old and rusty ship/barge is in the water.

Climate change threatens the health of polar bears across the Arctic. A study published in Conservation Physiology on March 5, introduces a new approach to measuring the health of polar bear populations, drawing inspiration from a well-known concept in human medicine: allostatic load. The lead author of the study is SAFS PhD student, Sarah Teman, working with UW Professor, Kristin Laidre, and scientists from USGS and Fish and Wildlife Health Consulting.

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Microplastics and their macro problems: UW Daily speaks to Jacqueline Padilla-Gamiño

Coral reef, purple in color, surrounded by small green microplastics, against a dark blue background.

Microplastics are everywhere. From the clothes you wear to the food you eat, to even your toothbrush, microplastics are difficult to avoid. And these tiny pieces of plastic have big consequences for both humans and the wider environment. UW Daily speaks to Jacqueline Padilla-Gamiño about her research into microplastics and marine organisms such as corals and anemones.

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Who’s who? Using identification tools to tell freshwater sculpin apart

A man sits at a table with green gloves on, with a tray in front of him holding 3 fish specimens. Also on the table is a jar with clear liquid, holding more fish specimens.

Scanning through the rows and rows of preserved fish housed in the UW Fish Collection, it’s easy to get lost trying to figure out what each fish is, especially to the untrained eye. Fish identification is a necessary step when preserving specimens from the wild, which deliver key insights for researchers delving into the untold secrets of fish. For SAFS undergraduate Liam Aston, his capstone research involves looking at Cottus specimens in the Fish Collection, a group of freshwater sculpin found throughout the Northern Hemisphere.

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Unravelling the mystery of the missing blue whale calves

Two blue whales - one adult and one calf - pictured from above in a blue ocean.

Only two blue whale births have ever been recorded in human history, an extraordinary mystery given they give birth every two to three years. Calves are also only rarely sighted—far less than would be expected from their pregnancy rates. Calves closely follow their moms and are sighted as mother-calf pairs, but why are so few detected? A new UW study by Trevor Branch proposes why. Its explanation hints at when and where the unseen births are happening and where blue whale calves spend their earliest months.

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