News

Wooded rocky Maine coastline

Pairing eDNA and visual data to understand biodiversity along Maine’s coast

By Emma Beauregard, Even though the award period of the NSF EPSCoR Track-1 Maine-eDNA project comes to completion on December 31, 2024, the researchers involved remain as busy as ever going through data samples. One of these researchers is Yasmina Shah Esmaeili, a postdoctoral fellow bringing together previously collected data to reveal how kelp forest […]

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Maine-BRIDGE logo over blue and green gradient

NSF Maine Bridge Partner Scientist Statement of Interest

Dear STEM Leaders, My name is Leonard Kenyon, and I am a STEM Education Specialist at the Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance (MMSA). I’m reaching out to share an exciting opportunity through the Maine EPSCoR E-CORE RII Program, which aims to enhance research infrastructure and capacity in targeted areas across Maine. The project, Strengthening Maine’s Research Ecosystem […]

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Sam Bengs takes notes in the field

Understanding river herring migration and diet in Maine’s rivers 

Over the past two centuries, river herring (alewife and blueback herring) experienced a decline in their populations due to the construction of dams blocking migration paths. However, the recent removal of dams and construction of fishways and other infrastructure has led to the start of their recovery. As part of the NSF EPSCoR RII Track-1 […]

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woman in blue life vest and light blue jacket records readings off side of a boat in the water on a cloudy day

Understanding invasive species’ incursions into the Gulf of Maine

By Ryan Abedi and Lauren Crofton-Macdonald, As the Gulf of Maine warms, new species, invasive and not, are moving in. The delimitation between invasive and noninvasive species can be difficult to discern. At a simple level, it can be the level of human involvement in the species movement. For example, the European green crab made […]

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Photo of kelp forest underwater. Very green

From forests to fields: the transition from kelp to turf amidst climate change in the Gulf of Maine

By Camryn Sudimick While not as expansive as the renowned kelp forests of California and other parts of the world, the Gulf of Maine (GoM) is also home to a diverse kelp forest ecosystem on its rocky reefs. These out-of-sight underwater forests are known to foster biodiversity, providing vital resources and habitats for various marine […]

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Three indivisuals in diving suits sit together on the water.

Maine’s kelp forests and the impact of environmental change

By, Camryn Sudimick, Maine EPSCoR Writing Intern The Gulf of Maine (GoM) is warming rapidly, and ecosystems contained within, including Maine’s rocky reefs, are undergoing significant changes. The kelp forest habitats along Maine’s coast are transitioning to red algae turf reefs. These kelp forests stand from one to a few meters tall that fish and […]

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White Shark Migration and Taking Part in the Research Process with Patrick Tardie

By Camryn Sudimick, Writing Intern White sharks are one of the most iconic species in the sea. While they have gained a fearsome reputation, researchers like Patrick Tardie, a Maine-eDNA undergraduate intern, argue they should instead be recognized for their vital role as apex predators in marine ecosystems. While white shark populations faced a decline […]

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Man with braided hair stares off to the left.

Building STEM Knowledge and Confidence Through Traditional Ecological Knowledge

By Caty DuDevoir Maine EPSCoR partner Wabanaki Youth in Science (WaYS) is committed to providing Indigenous youth and communities with hands-on learning opportunities about Indigenous Knowledge and western scientific methods. Fusing western science practices with Indigenous Knowledge allows Wabanaki communities to reclaim spaces in the scientific community.  Jason Brough, a Ph.D. student in Anthropology and […]

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