Algae such as rockweeds are a fundamental part of marine ecosystems, providing habitat and food to many other marine organisms while also providing ecosystem services. Algae produce oxygen as a by-product of photosynthesis, so oxygenation of the water and atmosphere is one such ecosystem service. In turn, algae depend on bacteria to maintain their normal […]
Read more
Kristina Cammen, UMaine assistant professor of marine mammal science in the School of Marine Sciences, was interviewed on News Center Maine about her research about seal harassment. Cammen emphasized that seals found along Maine’s shores should be left alone, as her research shows that well-meaning human interaction can lead to the seals’ death.
Read more
The Maine Science Festival (MSF) will come back after two years away due to the pandemic, from March 16–20. It is a program of the Maine Discovery Museum in Bangor and will include more than 70 events and activities, many of which will feature University of Maine scientists. All events, except for the headliner performance, […]
Read more
Four faculty-led innovation teams have been selected to participate in the fifth cohort of the University of Maine’s Maine Innovation Research and Technology Accelerator (MIRTA) program. The 2022 projects will develop research innovations in accessibility education, aquaculture, computer-aided breast cancer detection and marine sciences. MIRTA, coordinated by UMaine’s Foster Center for Innovation, assists teams from […]
Read more
Aquaculture is a growing industry in Maine. It yields more than $100 million in overall economic impact each year, nearly three times as much as the $50 million it contributed in 2007. Farmers and businesses in working waterfronts support the economy by cultivating Atlantic salmon, oysters, sea vegetables and other aquatic flora and fauna. Despite […]
Read more
Rick Wahle, director of the University of Maine Lobster Institute, spoke with the Associated Press about the continuing decline of baby lobster populations. Wahle said the trend of below-average baby lobster settlement numbers in the Gulf of Maine continued in 2021. U.S. News and World Report, WPRI (Providence, RI), News Center Maine, Spectrum News 1, […]
Read more
The Ellsworth American, Aquaculture North America, Wiscasset Newspaper, FishFocus, DeliciousFood.com, Boothbay Register and Mount Desert Islander featured the Maine Aquaculture Distributing Mapping Manual, a collaborative project underway between the University of Maine School of Economics, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Maine Aquaculture Association, Gulf of Maine Research Institute and the Island Institute that explores in […]
Read more
Collaborating across different fields of study is an important element of addressing climate change and societal challenges. By looking at a particular multidisciplinary project, a group of University of Maine researchers showed how communication shapes collaboration in many different ways. UMaine researchers from a range of disciplines — including anthropology, ecology and environmental science, genetics, […]
Read more
Seals can look irresistibly cute to beachgoers, but harassing the pinnipeds can cause them stress and potentially even lead to their death. By researching when these incidents occur and what they entail — from feeding or touching the seals to shooting them or hitting them with a boat — a group of UMaine researchers and […]
Read more
Three University of Maine projects have been awarded competitive seed grant funding to facilitate research collaborations across marine-related disciplines, academic units and research centers as part of the UMaine MARINE Initiative. The purpose of this seed grant is to focus on collaborative, innovative pilot studies, with the clear intention of using this work to elevate […]
Read more