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Tag: sea urchins

UF experts warn of potential peril caused by ocean acidification

by Brad Buck
July 11, 2024

The world’s oceans absorb about 30% of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which does not bode well for Florida’s 825 miles of coastline. Carbon dioxide can contribute to ocean acidification -- a reduction in the pH of the ocean -- which ... READ MORE

Category: UF/IFAS
Tags: Atmosphere, Carbon Dioxide, Clams, Coral Reef, Emissions, Florida Aquarium, Florida Sea Grant, Josh Patterson, Lisa Krimsky, Marine, Ocean Acidification, Oysters, Pathogens, School Of Forest Fisheries And Geomatics Sciences, Sea Urchins, Water Pollution

UF scientists find good places to grow long-spined sea urchins, a starting point to restore ‘the lawn mowers of the reefs’

by Brad Buck
September 12, 2023

Scientists call long-spined sea urchins “the lawn mowers of the reefs” because they eat algae that could otherwise smother reef ecosystems and kill corals. That’s why researchers affiliated with the University of Florida Tropical Aquaculture ... READ MORE

Category: UF/IFAS
Tags: Aaron Pilnick, Caribbean, Coral Reefs, Florida Aquarium Conservation Campus, Florida Keys, Florida Sea Grant, Josh Patterson, Juvenile, Larva, Long-spined Sea Urchins, School Of Forest Fisheries And Geomatics Sciences, Sea Urchins, Settlement, Substrate, Tropical Aquaculture Laboratory

Scientists discover cause of sea urchin die-offs in the Caribbean: a protozoan parasite

by Tory Moore
April 19, 2023

Highlights The long-spined sea urchin is an important species that helps keep coral reefs healthy. When long-spined sea urchins in the Caribbean began to die in large numbers in early 2022, scientists jumped in and discovered that a ... READ MORE

Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research, Wildlife
Tags: Caribbean, Conservation, Coral Reefs, Emerging Pathogens Institute, Florida Sea Grant, Keystone Species, Long-spined Sea Urchins, NOAA, School Of Forest Fisheries And Geomatics Sciences, Sea Urchins

UF-led research gets help from NFL player and an Air Force veteran to restock sea urchins on coral reef

by Brad Buck
March 27, 2023

On and off over the past four decades, scientists have tried a handful of times to restore sea urchins on coral reefs because they eat harmful algae that otherwise smother the ecosystems. Results of a new collaborative study show promise ... READ MORE

Category: UF/IFAS
Tags: Aaron Pilnick, Air Force Veteran, Algae, Apollo Beach, Caribbean, College Of Agricultural And Life Sciences, Coral Reefs, Diadema, Florida Aquarium, Force Blue Team, Frost Museum Of Science, Key Biscayne, NFL, Rainbow Reef, Restocking, Restoration, School Of Forest Fisheries And Geomatics Sciences, Sea Urchins, Survival

UF research shows a step toward restoring sea urchins: ‘The lawnmowers of reefs’

by Brad Buck
August 15, 2022

Coral reef ecosystems are severely threatened by pollution, disease, overharvesting and other factors. For thousands of years, long-spined sea urchins helped keep reefs intact. They eat seaweed, which can kill or seriously damage coral. Without ... READ MORE

Category: UF/IFAS
Tags: Coral Reefs, Ecosystem, Fish, Florida Aquarium, Josh Patterson, Long-spined Sea Urchins, School Of Forest Fisheries And Geomatics Sciences, Sea Urchins, Seaweed, Tropical Aquaculture Laboratory
This unique refuge was established in 1931 to provide wintering habitat for migratory birds. It is one of the oldest refuges in the National Wildlife Refuge System. It encompasses 68,000 acres spread out between Wakulla, Jefferson, and Taylor counties along the Gulf Coast of northwest Florida. The refuge includes coastal marshes, islands, tidal creeks and estuaries of seven north Florida rivers, and is home to a diverse community of plant and animal life. The refuge also has strong ties to a rich cultural past, and is home to the St. Marks Lighthouse, which was built in 1832 and is still in use today.

Sea stars, Sea cucumbers, Sea urchins and more…

by Betty Staugler
October 10, 2017

Invert Trivia: What group of invertebrate species shares these three distinctive features? 1) A body with five-part symmetry; 2) an internal skeleton made of calcium carbonate; and 3) a water vascular system of fluid-filled vessels that manifests ... READ MORE

Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources
Tags: Brittle Stars, Echinoderms, Feather Stars, Florida Sea Grant, Sand Dollars, Sea Biscuits, Sea Stars, Sea Urchins, Starfish

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