Aidan Barry

182 Years in the Making: Invertebrate Communities of Narragansett Bay

August 2, 2018August 2, 2018 Aidan Barry 0 Comments Conservation, Ecology, ecosystem services, eutrophication, fisheries, nutrient cycles, Sustainability, Wastewater, water quality

Benthic invertebrates support various ecosystem functions and services such as shellfish production and biogeochemical cycling. Historical data spanning 182 years permitted Hale and colleagues to determine the trends and current conditions of invertebrate communities in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island. From the 104 studies, the authors detected over 1,000 different taxa that have been observed within the esturary and suggest human influence has greatly impacted the overall biodiversity of the invertebrate community.

Climate Environmental Science

Intertidal Examination: Competition Between an Invasive and Endemic Species

July 3, 2018July 3, 2018 Aidan Barry 0 Comments behaviour ecology, Conservation, Ecology, ecosystems, environmental science, fisheries, invasive species

Coastal New England isn’t independent from the world of invasive species. The Asian shore crab has encroached on many crustaceans habitats in the last few decades and recently this includes the American lobster. Work done by Baillie and colleagues suggest that specific life stages of the lobster may be negatively impacted by the invasion of the crab. Not only will understanding the interactions between these two species aid in preservation of one of North America’s most important fisheries, it may also provide critical insight into the fascinating relationship between endemic and invasive species.

Climate Environmental Science

Conserve the Lobster

June 6, 2018June 6, 2018 Aidan Barry 0 Comments Climate Change, Conservation, fisheries, modeling

Caught between a rock and a hard place. The American lobster has become the largest fishery in the United States. American lobster populations are increasing in the Gulf of Maine. However, pressures of climate change and harvest have virtually eliminated the fishery from Southern New England. Work done by Le Bris et al uncover the differences between the two locations and determine that active conservation efforts in the Gulf of Maine have permitted the crustacean to remain even with increased water temperatures and fishing.

Environmental Science Toxicology

Spawn of the Dead

May 5, 2018May 5, 2018 Aidan Barry 0 Comments Conservation, Ecology, ecosystems, environmental science, Pollution, water quality

Migratory animals such as the Pacific salmon are critical to the transport of nutrients and energy across large distances and between different ecosystems. However, along with important nutrients also come contaminants and pollutants. To understand the impacts of salmon, Brandon Gerig and colleagues investigate contaminant levels of riparian fish populations in streams where salmon runs do and do not occur in the Great Lakes region.

Environmental Science

River Streams Benefit from Fallen Trees

April 4, 2018April 4, 2018 Aidan Barry 0 Comments Conservation, Ecology, ecosystems, environmental science, fisheries, water management

Rivers have suffered the most from human urbanization. Damming, river straightening and removal of large woody debris have disrupted many natural processes essential for healthy habitats of fish, insects and algae. Many land managers have returned fallen trees back into rivers in hopes to improve habitat quality. It wasn’t until this research by Thompson and colleagues that there was clear evidence that this management strategy was successful.

Climate Environmental Science

RSVP to Future Flowering Day

March 1, 2018 Aidan Barry 0 Comments Climate Change, Conservation, drought, ecosystems, environmental science

We know that plants flower in spring, but when exactly? And does climate change impact this timing? Is this pattern consistent across the world and can we expect it to be the same in all plants? A new study identifies how flowering time in different plant types responds to changes in climate over the years.

Climate Environmental Science Remediation

Soybean Soybetter

February 5, 2018February 5, 2018 Aidan Barry 0 Comments agriculture, Climate Change, environmental science, modeling, Sustainability

By 2050, the demand for staple food crops, such as potatoes and wheat, is expected to nearly double from what it is today. We could farm all the land in the world, but scientists and others believe this could be detrimental for a multitude of reasons. How can we increase our crop yields without expanding our already limited fields? The answer may lie in cutting out leaves. Taking this approach, Srinivasan and colleagues increased soybean production by up to 8%, that’s approximately 6.5 metric tons per year.

Environmental Science Remediation

Habitat Reconstruction: Restoring Salt Marshes

January 1, 2018January 1, 2018 Aidan Barry 0 Comments carbon cycle, Ecology, ecosystems, environmental science, fisheries, Sustainability

How impactful are restoration projects for the environment? With the help of isotopic analysis researchers hope to find the answer.

Climate Environmental Science

The Landscaping Snowshoe Hare

December 4, 2017 Aidan Barry 0 Comments behaviour ecology, Climate Change, ecosystems, environmental science, forests

Boreal forests of Alaska are expanding north and to higher latitudes due to higher annual temperatures, but the snowshoe hare may be limiting the growth of these forests.

Environmental Science

Traditional Knowledge in Fisheries

November 8, 2017November 8, 2017 Aidan Barry 0 Comments ecosystems, fisheries, Ocean, policy, water management

The majority of marine policy addresses concerns of commercial fisheries and science. The only problem is they aren’t the only voices to be heard on issues surrounding the ocean. This article argues to inclusion of local indigenous communities of Alaska in future policy.

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