Jessica Espinosa

As Oceans Change, HABs Invade

April 13, 2020 Jessica Espinosa 0 Comments algal bloom, Climate Change, Ecology, environmental science, HABs, Ocean, phytoplankton

Global ocean temperatures are currently rising and have been for decades. Scientists are working to discover how this changing climate affects species around the world, from the very large to the very small. This includes phytoplankton, the microscopic marine algae that live in most bodies of water around the globe and produce half the world’s oxygen. But some of these species are toxic, and can cause harm to human and wildlife alike if they are able to grow out of control. Though a number of studies have been undertaken to try and understand more about these harmful algal blooms, much is still unknown about their growth. A group of scientists were interested in how changing ocean temperatures affected the geographic ranges of harmful algal blooms over time in order to better predict blooms in the future.

Ecosystems Environmental Science

Spotting the Shy Guy – Why Collaboration With Local Indigenous People Can Be An Asset to Conservation Management

February 26, 2020 Jessica Espinosa 0 Comments amphibians, behavior, conservation biology, ecosystems, indigenous communities, invasive species

A recent Australian study highlights the importance of including local and indigenous people in conservation research. While examining mitigation of lizard population declines, scientists stumbled upon a surprising finding about how researchers’ cultural differences can affect fieldwork and experimental outcomes.

Ecosystems Environmental Science

A Grizzly Situation: Saving Bears by Mitigating Conflict

October 25, 2019 Jessica Espinosa 0 Comments conflict mitigation, Conservation, grizzly bear, Human dimensions, humans and wildlife

Many people become fearful at the mention of “bear country.” But is the risk of being hurt by a bear, or even seeing a bear, on your trip really that high? The answer is no: many campers and hikers don’t even know they have passed close to a bear during their time outdoors because bears largely try to avoid humans. When bears do come close to people, it is usually due to conflicts over food and space. Humans often retaliate against bears in these situations, which can ultimately threaten the survival of bear populations. In an effort to save these bears, a team of scientists came up with a program to mitigate human-bear conflicts and create spaces where both humans and bears can coexist.

Climate Ecosystems Environmental Science

Can We Save Our Corals? Using Investment Planning to Conserve Coral Reefs

June 19, 2019June 20, 2019 Jessica Espinosa 0 Comments bleaching, Climate Change, Conservation, coral, investment, Modern Portfolio Theory, Paris agreement, reef

By now, most of us have heard the news that climate change is threatening our oceans. Rising carbon dioxide levels due to increasing greenhouse gas emissions into the earth’s atmosphere are warming our oceans and causing a multitude of other adverse effects on our planet. In particular, these changing environmental conditions are wreaking havoc on the world’s coral reefs. Meanwhile, conservationists around the world have been working to mitigate coral reef degradation, with little overall success. However, a recent study describes a new approach taken from investment theory that could shed a hopeful light on coral conservation efforts.

Environmental Science

Pollution to Solution: Can We Get Rid of Plastics in Our Oceans?

April 3, 2019April 5, 2019 Jessica Espinosa 0 Comments coastal environments, Conservation, environmental policy, international agreements, marine plastic pollution, ocean health, Sustainability

The issue of marine plastic pollution has become a pressing, global concern. A few organizations have been created over the past few decades that have tried to address the threat of marine pollution, but none have been solely dedicated to the issue. This has led to a lack of dedication towards the issue at the international scale, and only recently have increased measures been taken to address marine plastic pollution. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was created by world leaders in 2015, and since then a number of conferences and independent initiatives have taken place across the globe to promote ocean health. Gatherings like the United Nation’s Oceans Conference and statewide bans on plastic bags can provide the groundwork to evolve these agreements and engage governments and communities to work to reduce marine plastic pollution.