News Center Maine reported on a University of Maine program titled Science Education Addressing the Blue Economy and Rural Success (SEA BEaRS). A joint effort between the School of Marine Sciences and University of Maine Cooperative Extension, the program intends to bolster the next generation of marine scientists and industry leaders, equipping students with skills […]
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In her first year of full-time employment with University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Leah McCluskey taught youth how to make miniature lava lamps. She led the students through an experiment that combines sodium alginate, a compound derived from seaweed, and calcium chloride inside a test tube to form the familiar funky bubbles. The experiment gave […]
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The Portland Press Herald, Mainebiz, Maine Public, Earth.com, News Center Maine, Penobscot Bay Pilot, WGME (CBS 13 in Portland) and Seacoastonline highlighted a new study by researchers at the University of Maine that revealed lobsters in the Gulf of Maine are abandoning their traditional rocky habitats for open areas. This significant behavioral shift, potentially driven […]
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The ocean, the plants and animals that reside in it and the coastline it formed are integral to Maine’s economy and culture. While heritage industries like fishing and shipbuilding have persisted for centuries, they and other coastal industries are changing. Climate change and the loss of working waterfront threaten their viability, but new fisheries, products, […]
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American lobsters along Maine’s coast have relocated to new habitats, while the population simultaneously shrunk in abundance and grew older, according to a new study by University of Maine researchers. For decades, the vast majority of adult lobsters resided in boulder shelter habitats. This knowledge helped inform longtime conservation efforts and regulations within the more […]
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Warming oceans due to climate change have a significant impact on fish in the Gulf of Maine. Fisheries in the region need to adapt to the shifting dynamics — and thanks to research led by the University of Maine, they will soon have science to show them how. A research team led by UMaine scientist […]
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Bob Steneck, professor emeritus of oceanography, marine biology and marine policy at the University of Maine, discussed the role parrotfish play in maintaining healthy coral reef ecosystems with Vox. For example, Steneck said parrotfish help limit algae growth at the reef in Bonaire in the Dutch Caribbean, which helps the coral survive.
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The BDN interviewed Brian Beal, a marine scientist with the University of Maine at Machias and director of the Downeast Institute, about his concerns on the rising populations of invasive tunicates, also known as sea squirts, that are negatively impacting the local fishing industry. These creatures attach to lobster traps and aquaculture equipment, causing a […]
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News Center Maine covered the Physics of Estuaries and Coastal Seas conference held in September in France, which 10 researchers from the University of Maine attended to gain insights and connections to enhance their research efforts. Co-hosted by Lauren Ross, an associate professor of hydraulics and water resources engineering at UMaine, the event aimed to […]
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AP News and interviewed Andrew Goode, University of Maine postdoctoral research associate, and Richard Wahle, former director of UMaine’s Lobster Institute, on lobsters with unique shell colors — like orange and blue — and their rarity. Lobsters’ color can vary due to genetic and dietary differences, and estimates about how rare certain colors are should […]
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