Category: Coasts & Marine

Is seaweed aquaculture the next big crop for Florida?

by Lourdes Mederos
August 27, 2025

Florida’s coastline may one day host more than oysters, clams, fish and shrimp. Researchers at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) and Florida Sea Grant are asking whether seaweed could be the ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Blog Community, Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Natural Resources, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Andrew Ropicki, Angela Collins, Aquaculture, Ashley Smith, Dail Laughinghouse, Economics, Extension, Florida, Florida Sea Grant, Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, Gabrielle Foursa, Growers, Harvest, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Lourdes Mederos, Macroalgae, News, NOAA National Sea Grant, NOAA National Sea Grant Aquaculture Program, Seaweed, Seaweed Aquaculture, Seaweed Farming, Sponge, Tropical Research And Education Center, UF/IFAS, University Of Florida, Water Quality

From Peru’s wild landscapes to Florida’s farms: Scientist harnesses microbes to protect agriculture, environment

by Lourdes Mederos
August 17, 2025

For Florida growers, Jose Rolando’s research is focused on promoting healthier soils, reduced input costs and crops able to withstand droughts, heat and shifting weather patterns. For consumers, it aims at more sustainable food production ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Blog Community, , Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Crops, Farm Management, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Amazon Rainforest, Andes Mountains, Coastal Wetland, Crops, Department Of Microbiology And Cell Science, Droughts, Ecosystem Services, Farmer, Fertilizer, Florida Bay, Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, Georgia Institute Of Technology, Grower, IFAS, Indian River Lagoon, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, José Rolando, Lima, Lourdes Mederos, Mangroves, Microbiologist, Microbiology, National Institute Of Agricultural Innovation, News, Peru, Public, Sea Level Rise, Sechura Desert, Sustainable Food Production, Tropical Zones, UF/IFAS, University Of Florida, Weather

Science by the millions: How everyday people are revolutionizing global biodiversity research with tech

by Lourdes Mederos
July 28, 2025

A frog croaks from a walking trail. A hiker snaps a photo and uploads it to iNaturalist. That single act — one person, one amphibian and one click — feeds into a growing global dataset that scientists now use to map shifting species ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, Coasts & Marine, Community Volunteers, Conservation, Forests, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research, Wildlife
Tags: Agencies, Agricultural Technology Firms, Aquatic Invasives, Biodiversity, BioScience, Brittany Mason, Citizen Science, Conservation, Corey Callaghan, Dataset, Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, Fungi, Global Ecology, High-resolution Maps, INaturalist, INaturalist App, Invasive, Lourdes Mederos, Map Shifting, Modeling, News, Observations, Organisms, Photo, Plants, Research Grade, Scientists, Species Ranges, Study, Technology, UF/IFAS, University Of Florida, University Of Florida Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Wildlife Ecology And Conservation

Nine-armed Sea Stars dying in Atlantic waters: UF/IFAS scientists document first case of disease in Florida

by Lourdes Mederos
June 18, 2025

A disturbing scene met snorkelers in Palm Beach County’s coastal waters – sea stars (also known as starfish) with missing limbs, open wounds and bodies falling apart on the ocean floor. The condition known as Sea Star Wasting Disease ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Alexander Romer, Atlantic Waters, Curling Limbs, Densovirus, Eric Suarez, Florida Fish And Wildlife Conservation Commission, Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, INaturalist, Lake Worth Cove, Lourdes Mederos, Marine, Melissa Miller, Nine-armed Sea Stars, Palm Beach County, Sea Star Wasting Disease, Southeaster Naturalist, Splitlure Frogfish, SSWS, Starfish, Starfish Wasting Disease, University Of Florida, Wildlife

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