Cookies help us run our site more efficiently.

By clicking “Accept”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. View our Privacy Policy for more information or to customize your cookie preferences.

Neither Plants nor Animals, These Ocean Organisms Protect Their Ecosystems against Heat Waves

News Feed
Wednesday, April 17, 2024

Neither Plants nor Animals, These Ocean Organisms Protect Their Ecosystems against Heat WavesMixotrophs, which have characteristics of both animals and plants, could help blunt the effects of marine heat waves on ocean ecosystemsBy Ian RoseMicrograph of marine phytoplankton. Scenics & Science/Alamy Stock PhotoFor almost two years beginning in 2014, the waters along North America’s Pacific Coast endured the largest and longest-lasting marine heat wave ever recorded. Many species were devastated by ocean temperatures up to 2.4 degrees Celsius (4.3 degrees Fahrenheit) higher than normal. Kelp forests off northern California declined by more than 90 percent, an estimated million or more seabirds died, and fisheries closed up and down the coast, costing some fishing communities hundreds of millions of dollars. But one unassuming group of organisms managed to weather the unrelenting heat fairly well—by breaking the rules of biological separation between animals and plants.Now new research suggests the flexible lifestyle of these organisms could make them crucial to the survival of ocean ecosystems as climate change continues to crank up the heat.One of the first things many people learn in biology class is that a basic line can be drawn between two of Earth’s main kinds of life. On one side there are the autotrophs, such as plants, which mostly use photosynthesis to make food out of air, water and minerals, using energy they get from light. On the other are heterotrophs, such as animals, which cannot photosynthesize and so must eat other organisms to get energy. That division is a useful starting point—but like any simplified narrative, it leaves out a lot. All over the world there are organisms called mixotrophs that combine both of these strategies.On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.Various species of mixotrophs form a big part of oceanic plankton and are vital to marine food webs. Mixotrophic plankton such as ciliates and dinoflagellates can get energy by consuming some of the smallest single-celled plankton, which are too tiny to be efficiently used as food by larger species. These mixotrophs can reap the benefits of both photosynthesis and consumption of prey. Some are natural photosynthesizers that supplement that energy by eating, whereas others can integrate photosynthesizing phytoplankton into their own bodies. The mixotrophs are in turn eaten by larger plankton species such as copepods and krill, which then become prey for many fish, seabirds and marine mammals.The new study, published recently in Aquatic Microbial Ecology, found that mixotrophic species made up a larger percentage of the plankton in the Gulf of Alaska during two major heat waves (from 2014 to 2016 and in 2019) than in years with average ocean temperatures. And even among the mixotrophs, the more generalist species—those able to feed on and form relationships with a wider range of phytoplankton—survived the heat waves better than more specialized ones. “Having more than one way to live in your back pocket is probably extremely advantageous in a highly variable environment,” says Suzanne Strom, senior marine scientist at Western Washington University and the paper’s lead author.The study shows that these adaptable mixotrophs can be vital to the entire Gulf of Alaska ecosystem in heat wave years because they help to mediate a major consequence of marine warming: increased stratification, or the separation of ocean water into distinct layers. This effect can prevent the mixing of nutrients that would otherwise fuel robust aquatic ecosystems. Especially amid relatively long-lasting heat waves, stratified waters can lead to large phytoplankton blooms by trapping nutrients at the surface. Once those nutrients are eaten, the blooms dissipate, leaving an area of depleted oxygen, and the stratification prevents more nutrients from rising to the surface to restart the cycle. This can cause die-offs among fish and other species.“That’s when the mixotrophs really become important in that system,” says Diane Stoecker, a professor emerita at the University of Maryland’s Center for Environmental Science, who was not involved in the recent paper. These organisms’ mixed strategy—both consuming food around them like an animal and producing their own energy like a plant—makes them more efficient in such lean times. That means food webs on the verge of collapse from a lack of new nutrients may be able to keep going longer when mixotrophs are present than they could without them.As climate change makes marine heat waves more frequent and severe, it’s critical for scientists to understand what species or processes might provide a buffer for ecosystems. The new study shows that as bad as recent marine heat waves have been, it could have been much worse without mixotrophic plankton and the resilience they lend to the marine food webs of northern seas.“These marine heat waves provide insights into what future warm conditions might look like,” says Chris Free, a University of California, Santa Barbara, ecologist who was not involved in the new study. “While they introduce a lot of turmoil, they’re also really important to study because they help us prepare for the future by knowing what the region will look like when it does become warmer.”

Mixotrophs, which have characteristics of both animals and plants, could help blunt the effects of marine heat waves on ocean ecosystems

Neither Plants nor Animals, These Ocean Organisms Protect Their Ecosystems against Heat Waves

Mixotrophs, which have characteristics of both animals and plants, could help blunt the effects of marine heat waves on ocean ecosystems

By Ian Rose

Micrograph of marine phytoplankton, dinoflagellate, Tripos muelleri

Micrograph of marine phytoplankton.

Scenics & Science/Alamy Stock Photo

For almost two years beginning in 2014, the waters along North America’s Pacific Coast endured the largest and longest-lasting marine heat wave ever recorded. Many species were devastated by ocean temperatures up to 2.4 degrees Celsius (4.3 degrees Fahrenheit) higher than normal. Kelp forests off northern California declined by more than 90 percent, an estimated million or more seabirds died, and fisheries closed up and down the coast, costing some fishing communities hundreds of millions of dollars. But one unassuming group of organisms managed to weather the unrelenting heat fairly well—by breaking the rules of biological separation between animals and plants.

Now new research suggests the flexible lifestyle of these organisms could make them crucial to the survival of ocean ecosystems as climate change continues to crank up the heat.

One of the first things many people learn in biology class is that a basic line can be drawn between two of Earth’s main kinds of life. On one side there are the autotrophs, such as plants, which mostly use photosynthesis to make food out of air, water and minerals, using energy they get from light. On the other are heterotrophs, such as animals, which cannot photosynthesize and so must eat other organisms to get energy. That division is a useful starting point—but like any simplified narrative, it leaves out a lot. All over the world there are organisms called mixotrophs that combine both of these strategies.


On supporting science journalism

If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.


Various species of mixotrophs form a big part of oceanic plankton and are vital to marine food webs. Mixotrophic plankton such as ciliates and dinoflagellates can get energy by consuming some of the smallest single-celled plankton, which are too tiny to be efficiently used as food by larger species. These mixotrophs can reap the benefits of both photosynthesis and consumption of prey. Some are natural photosynthesizers that supplement that energy by eating, whereas others can integrate photosynthesizing phytoplankton into their own bodies. The mixotrophs are in turn eaten by larger plankton species such as copepods and krill, which then become prey for many fish, seabirds and marine mammals.

The new study, published recently in Aquatic Microbial Ecology, found that mixotrophic species made up a larger percentage of the plankton in the Gulf of Alaska during two major heat waves (from 2014 to 2016 and in 2019) than in years with average ocean temperatures. And even among the mixotrophs, the more generalist species—those able to feed on and form relationships with a wider range of phytoplankton—survived the heat waves better than more specialized ones. “Having more than one way to live in your back pocket is probably extremely advantageous in a highly variable environment,” says Suzanne Strom, senior marine scientist at Western Washington University and the paper’s lead author.

The study shows that these adaptable mixotrophs can be vital to the entire Gulf of Alaska ecosystem in heat wave years because they help to mediate a major consequence of marine warming: increased stratification, or the separation of ocean water into distinct layers. This effect can prevent the mixing of nutrients that would otherwise fuel robust aquatic ecosystems. Especially amid relatively long-lasting heat waves, stratified waters can lead to large phytoplankton blooms by trapping nutrients at the surface. Once those nutrients are eaten, the blooms dissipate, leaving an area of depleted oxygen, and the stratification prevents more nutrients from rising to the surface to restart the cycle. This can cause die-offs among fish and other species.

“That’s when the mixotrophs really become important in that system,” says Diane Stoecker, a professor emerita at the University of Maryland’s Center for Environmental Science, who was not involved in the recent paper. These organisms’ mixed strategy—both consuming food around them like an animal and producing their own energy like a plant—makes them more efficient in such lean times. That means food webs on the verge of collapse from a lack of new nutrients may be able to keep going longer when mixotrophs are present than they could without them.

As climate change makes marine heat waves more frequent and severe, it’s critical for scientists to understand what species or processes might provide a buffer for ecosystems. The new study shows that as bad as recent marine heat waves have been, it could have been much worse without mixotrophic plankton and the resilience they lend to the marine food webs of northern seas.

“These marine heat waves provide insights into what future warm conditions might look like,” says Chris Free, a University of California, Santa Barbara, ecologist who was not involved in the new study. “While they introduce a lot of turmoil, they’re also really important to study because they help us prepare for the future by knowing what the region will look like when it does become warmer.”

Read the full story here.
Photos courtesy of

Orphaned Squirrel Who Became Social Media Star Was Euthanized After Being Seized From Home

An orphaned squirrel that became a social media star called Peanut is dead after being seized by New York state from his caretakers' home

PINE CITY, N.Y. (AP) — An orphaned squirrel that became a social media star called Peanut was euthanized after state authorities seized the beloved pet during a raid on his caretaker's home, authorities said Friday.After anonymous complaints, officers from the state Department of Environmental Conservation took the squirrel and a raccoon named Fred from Mark Longo's home near the Pennsylvania border in rural Pine City on Wednesday, Longo said. On Friday, the DEC and Chemung County Department of Health confirmed both animals' fate.“On Oct. 30, DEC seized a raccoon and squirrel sharing a residence with humans, creating the potential for human exposure to rabies. In addition, a person involved with the investigation was bitten by the squirrel. To test for rabies, both animals were euthanized,” the agencies said in a statement, CBS News in New York reported. “The animals are being tested for rabies and anyone who has been in contact with these animals is strongly encouraged to consult their physician.” Neither agency responded to The Associated Press's requests for comment. Peanut amassed tens of thousands of followers on Instagram, TikTok and other platforms during the seven years since Longo, who runs an animal sanctuary, said he took him in after seeing his mother get hit by a car in New York City. Peanut's Instagram account shows the squirrel leaping on to Longo’s shoulder, jumping through a hoop, holding and eating waffles and wearing miniature hats. “It is with profound sorrow that we share the heartbreaking news: on October 30th, the DEC made the devastating decision to euthanize our beloved Peanut the squirrel and Fred the raccoon. Despite our passionate outcry for compassion, the agency chose to ignore our pleas, leaving us in deep shock and grief,” an Instagram post said Friday, accompanied by a video montage of the animals interacting with their smiling caretakers.Longo and his wife, Daniela, opened P’Nuts Freedom Farm Animal Sanctuary in April 2023. It now houses about 300 animals including horses, goats and alpacas, Longo said. He said he was in the process of filing paperwork to get Peanut certified as an educational animal when he was seized.Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Photos You Should See - Sept. 2024

Instagram-Famous Squirrel Named Peanut Seized by New York State Authorities

A New York man who turned a rescued squirrel into a social media star called Peanut is pleading with state authorities to return his beloved pet after they seized it during a raid

A New York man who turned a rescued squirrel into a social media star called Peanut is pleading with state authorities to return his beloved pet after they seized it during a raid that also yielded a raccoon named Fred.Multiple anonymous complaints about Peanut — also spelled P'Nut or PNUT — brought at least six officers from the state Department of Environmental Conservation to Mark Longo's home near the Pennsylvania border in rural Pine City on Wednesday, Longo said.“The DEC came to my house and raided my house without a search warrant to find a squirrel!” said Longo, who is 34. “I was treated as if I was a drug dealer and they were going for drugs and guns.”The officers left with Peanut, who amassed hundreds of thousands of followers on Instagram, TikTok and other platforms during his seven years with Longo. They also took Fred, a more recent addition to the family.A spokesperson for the DEC said in a statement that the agency started an investigation after receiving “multiple reports from the public about the potentially unsafe housing of wildlife that could carry rabies and the illegal keeping of wildlife as pets.”Longo, who runs an animal refuge inspired by his squirrel buddy called P'Nuts Freedom Farm Animal Sanctuary, took to Instagram to mourn Peanut's loss.“Well internet, you WON,” Longo posted. “You took one of the most amazing animals away from me because of your selfishness. To the group of people who called DEC, there’s a special place in hell for you.”Longo fears that Peanut has been euthanized. “I don't know if Peanut is alive,” he said in a phone interview Thursday. “I don't know where he is.”The DEC spokesperson did not respond to a question about whether Peanut had been euthanized.Longo said he saw Peanut's mother get hit by a car in New York City seven years ago, leaving the tiny squirrel an orphan. Longo brought Peanut home and cared for him for eight months before trying to release the squirrel into the great outdoors. “A day and a half later I found him sitting on my porch missing half of his tail with his bone sticking out,” Longo said.Longo determined that Peanut lacked the survival skills to live in the wild and would remain an indoor squirrel. Soon after Longo posted videos of Peanut playing with his cat, internet fame followed.A scroll through Peanut's Instagram account suggests that this is no ordinary squirrel. Peanut leaps on to Longo's shoulder, he wears a miniature cowboy hat, he eats a waffle while wearing crocheted bunny ears.Over the years Peanut's story has been featured on TV and newspapers including USA Today.Longo, who works as a mechanical engineer, was living in Norwalk, Connecticut, until he decided to move to upstate New York last year to start an animal sanctuary. P’Nuts Freedom Farm Animal Sanctuary opened in April 2023 and now houses about 300 animals including horses, goats and alpacas, said Longo, who runs the sanctuary with his wife, Daniela, and other family members.Longo is aware that it's against New York state law to own a wild animal without a license. He said he was in the process of filing paperwork to get Peanut certified as an educational animal.“If we're not following the rules, guide us in the right direction to follow the rules, you know?” Longo said. “Let us know what we need to do to have Peanut in the house and not have to worry about him getting taken.”As for Fred, Longo said he only had the raccoon for a few months and was hoping to rehabilitate the injured creature and release him back to the woods.Longo is not the first animal owner to protest the confiscation of a pet by New York authorities. A Buffalo-area man whose alligator was seized by the DEC in March is suing the agency to get the 750-pound (340-kilogram) reptile back.Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Photos You Should See - Sept. 2024

UN Chief Calls for More Pledges, Private Sector Input to Save Global Biodiversity at Colombia Summit

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged delegates at a major biodiversity summit to follow through on pledges to help save global biodiversity and for the private sector to come on board

CALI, Colombia (AP) — United Nation's Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged countries on Tuesday to make new pledges to help save global biodiversity and called for the private sector to come on board.“Nature is life, and yet we are waging a war against it, a war where there can be no winner,” Guterres said in his opening remarks at the U.N. biodiversity summit, known as COP16, in Cali, Colombia.“Every day, we lose more species. Every minute, we dump a garbage truck of plastic waste into our oceans, rivers and lakes,” he said. “This is what an existential crisis looks like.” The two-week summit is a follow-up to the historic 2022 accord in Montreal, which includes 23 measures to save Earth’s plant and animal life.Guterres' comments came a day after talks gridlocked over how to fund conservation. On Monday, eight governments pledged an additional $163 million to the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund, which environmental advocates say is far off the billions needed to save global biodiversity. So far a total of $400 million is in the fund that provides targeted support to countries and communities to conserve and restore plant and animal species and ecosystems. “We need a lot more committed, from many more nations,” said Kristian Teleki, CEO of the conservation charity Fauna & Flora.The 2022 agreement signed by 196 countries calls for protecting 30% of land and water by 2030, known as 30 by 30. When the agreement was signed, 17% of terrestrial and 10% of marine areas were protected — and it hasn’t changed significantly.A report released Monday by the International Union for Conservation of Nature said 38% of the world’s trees are at risk of extinction and that the number of threatened trees is more than double the number of threatened birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians combined.Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro made a 40-minute opening speech where he repeatedly warned a shift away from oil and gas energy is needed to save the world. “Another way of producing is needed .. in order to safeguard life on this planet and of humanity,” Petro said. Guterres said no country, rich or poor, is immune from the devastation inflicted by climate change, biodiversity loss, land degradation and pollution.“These environmental crises are intertwined. They know no borders ... they are devastating ecosystems and livelihoods, threatening human health and undermining sustainable development,” he said, blaming outdated economic models for driving the problems. Guterres said finance promises from countries must be turned into action and support to developing countries accelerated."We cannot afford to leave Cali without new pledges ... and without commitments to mobilize other sources of public and private finance to deliver the Framework,” he said. “And we must bring the private sector on board. Those profiting from nature cannot treat it like a free, infinite resource.” The U.N. leader highlighted the importance of Indigenous people, people of African descent and local communities as the “guardians of nature”. “Their traditional knowledge is a living library of biodiversity conservation," he said. "They must be protected. And they must be part of every biodiversity conversation.” The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Photos You Should See - Sept. 2024

You can keep your ghosts and ghouls – the ‘Cordyceps’ fungus creates real-life zombies

Have you heard the gruesome tale of flesh-eating fungus known as Cordyceps? It’s a real-life story of ghosts, mummies and zombies that springs to mind every Halloween.

annguyen87, ShutterstockI have never really been interested in ghosts, mummies or zombies, not even at Halloween. But as October 31 approaches each year I am reminded of a biological tale involving all three. It’s the real-life horror story of a flesh-eating, brain-warping fungus from the genus Cordyceps, which inspired the zombie-apocalypse video game and TV series The Last of Us. Worldwide, there are hundreds of species of Cordyceps. Most of them prey on insects. They’re famous for hijacking the brains of some ants. Once the fungus takes over, it directs the ant to climb to a high point on a plant and then bite down on the stem or twig in a macabre death grip. The reproductive structures of this parasitic fungus will soon burst out of the ant’s head, spreading its spores to infect another unsuspecting host. But the species with which I am most familiar (Cordyceps gunnii) doesn’t attack ants – it parasitises insects such as rather large “ghost” caterpillars. This species doesn’t force its victims to climb, but takes control when they are buried in the soil. You might spot a grotesque-looking dead caterpillar pushing up through the earth as if rising from the grave, with a large fungal growth emerging from its head. Some are about the size of an adult finger, but cream and dark brown in colour. It is truly a thing that could trigger nightmares. ‘Zombie’ Parasite Cordyceps Fungus Takes Over Insects Through Mind Control | National Geographic. Consuming the ghostly host Unsuspecting insects become infected with Cordyceps when they eat them by mistake, or when spores attach to their bodies. The caterpillar of the Australian ghost moth (Abantiades labrynthicus) tends to burrow straight down into the soil to graze on roots of gum trees and some other species related to eucalypts. So it probably picks up the fungus as it burrows into the earth. The fungus then penetrates the exoskeleton or digestive tract of the insect with a thin, needle-like tube. Once inside the caterpillar, the fungus starts to grow rapidly. It produces very fine threads (hyphae) that spread through the body of the insect, replacing its structure. The fungus expands to fill the available space, assuming ultimate control. Exactly how the fungus takes control of the insect brain is not fully understood, but we know the fungus produces a range of chemicals that influence the brain in a way that meets the environmental and reproductive needs of the fungus. The caterpillar is doomed as soon as the fungus starts to grow inside it. After being taken over by another life form, the zombie caterpillar dies. All of this happens out of sight, under the soil surface. But Cordyceps is not done with the caterpillar just yet. It consumes all the resources the insect can offer, then pushes antler-like reproductive structures out through the caterpillar’s head. These spore-producing structures can be more than 10cm long. They’re clearly visible above ground, but can be hard to spot as they look a bit like a twig. Wind carries the spores to infect more unwary caterpillars. These fungus-filled caterpillars are now fully mummified. Nothing remains of the caterpillar but a brittle exoskeleton. As the reproductive structures dry and wither, they gently tug on the mummy to which they are still attached. If the soil is dry, the now empty exoskeleton of the caterpillar emerges from its hole. As it does so, the fungal reproductive structures are often lost and all you see remaining is the empty husk. The Last of Us: Could it happen? Infectious disease doctor explains cordyceps (UC Davis Health). Half animal, half vegetable Members of the genus Cordyceps boast the unusual common name of vegetable caterpillars. This strange name comes from a belief, which persisted until the 1800s, that the caterpillars had somehow transformed from insects to fungi, or from animal to plant. This was a much debated and widely written about example of transmutation, a theory that was not uncommon in pre-Darwinian times. It was not until the early 1900s that the true, full and gruesome nature of the relationship between Cordyceps and its insect victims was revealed. On the lookout for Cordyceps Cordyceps gunnii is the most commonly seen species of vegetable caterpillar in southeastern Australia, found in several states. Another less conspicuous species, the fawn vegetable caterpillar, Cordyceps hawkesii, occurs along Autralia’s east coast, often under wattles, but is even harder to see. Naturalists hunting for this vegetable caterpillar often find they have already inadvertently trampled over it before they spot it. Yet another species, Cordyceps taylori, can also be regularly seen emerging from large ghost moth caterpillars in Victoria. When the husks of these dead, mummified caterpillars appear to emerge from their holes in the ground, they look particularly striking. The classification of these vegetable caterpillar fungi is still being debated by experts. It is likely not all are closely related. Some are now placed in a new genus, Ophiocordyceps, but regardless of the name, they are all capable of making zombies and mummies of their victims. You can join in the process of hunting for and mapping these elusive species through citizen science projects such as he Great Aussie Fungi Hunt or iNaturalist Australia. Traditional medicines and the vegetable caterpillar As Halloween approaches, you may be wondering whether humans need worry about being zombified and mummified by Cordyceps fungi. Could the naturalists hunting the vegetable caterpillars become the hunted? The answer is a resounding no. In fact, the opposite is true – these macabre creatures have a long history in traditional medicine. Cordyceps sinensis, a Chinese vegetable caterpillar very similar to C. gunnii, has been used in traditional medicine for centuries. Modern research shows there may be benefits from its use (or extracts from it) in treatments associated with autoimmune responses. While the fungus has been cultivated for about 40 years, naturally growing, wild fungi can be very expensive as they are still relatively rare and difficult to find. A kilogram can retail for A$30,000, driving a fungal gold rush across the Himalayas. Members of the genus Coryceps, or more correctly the Ophiocordyceps genus, have been around for more than 45 million years. Despite their depiction in The Last of Us, humans have nothing to worry about. The fungi are quite particular about their victims. But if you are a certain species of ant or ghost moth, then Halloween may take on a whole new meaning. Gregory Moore does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

These Artificial Reefs off a New York City Beach Help Sea Creatures. They Might Also Save Lives

A coastal flooding prevention project in New York City could be a model for communities along America's hurricane-battered coasts

NEW YORK (AP) — Almost nothing stood in the way of the pounding waves that crashed into seaside homes in Staten Island's Tottenville neighborhood when Superstorm Sandy struck the city 12 years ago. A narrow strip of sand, some beach scrub and a few lonely trees did almost nothing to slow the ocean swells as they collapsed houses and ripped others from their foundations, killing a 13-year-old girl and her father.But after years of work, a system of artificial reefs largely completed this summer could help soften the blow of future hurricanes.Funded with $111 million in Sandy recovery money, the “Living Breakwaters” constructed about 1,000 feet (300 meters) off the Tottenville beach were conceived to protect residents from future storms. While the concrete and rock barriers can't stop flooding, project designers say they will sap the force of ocean waves, reducing daily erosion and damage from future storms.The artificial islands have the added benefit of reviving a bay ecosystem damaged by years of fishing, pollution and dredging. That's because they integrate “living” features such as tidepools and textured surfaces in a traditional breakwater to better shelter oysters, crabs and fish.The concept is attracting the attention of other coastal cities, including Florida’s Cedar Key, which was battered last month by Hurricane Helene. Living Breakwaters architect Pippa Brashear said other shoreline communities exposed to waves, damage and erosion could use a similar strategy. Projects in California, Washington state and Florida are already doing so, though at a smaller scale.Staten Island's new reefs offer some of the same basic storm protections as the breakwaters common in harbors worldwide. But many of those barriers and seawalls skirting coastal cities have a drawback, in that they often repel sea creatures. Slick concrete attracts fewer mussels, barnacles and oysters looking for surfaces to grab, and doesn’t provide areas where fish can hide.Brashear, of Scape Landscape Architecture, said New York's reefs were designed to create a habitat for marine life.“It’s not just risk reduction, but niches and crevices, complex surfaces for fowling organisms to form and for juvenile fish to kind of hide and get refuge — refuge from predation,” she said.Birds are already using the islands as a nesting ground. They have become a winter refuge for migrating seals since construction began in 2022. Algae clings to the textured concrete surfaces, covering the gray rocks and concrete with green algae that dances with the current at high tide. Snails, barnacles, shrimp and crabs are settling into tidepools molded from concrete and placed by a crane amid large stones.Eventually, oysters will be added by The Billion Oyster Project. Before being harvested to near extinction in the 1800s, oyster beds in the Raritan Bay, which separates Staten Island and New Jersey, measurably reduced the force of storms. Oysters have also been shown to clean water of pollutants.Brashear and her colleagues proposed the design as part of a competition for Hurricane Sandy relief funding in consultation with Tottenville residents.Some areas along San Diego’s coastline have been retrofitted with habitat-friendly tidepools similar to the ones used in New York.“When the tide is out, you find all sorts of different algae and all sorts of different animals living, especially in those tide pools, but then also around the edges of those tide pools,” said Luke Miller, a marine biologist at San Diego State University.An elaborate $400 million sea wall structure with living elements has lined a narrow slice of the Seattle coastline since 2017, successfully improving the habitat for baby salmon.New York’s success at attracting government funding for the Living Breakwaters encouraged others to look at the idea, according to Joshua Norman, a disaster resilience lead at Trilon Group’s DMRP engineering arm, which is proposing a similar concept in Cedar Key, on Florida's Gulf Coast. He said it would have reduced erosion around a local bridge and roadway from Helene.Sandy's floodwaters killed 23 people in Staten Island after the storm made landfall on Oct. 29, 2012. Many of them died in their homes after water inundated their coastal neighborhoods. Thousands of homes on the island experienced flooding, and hundreds were destroyed.Since then, the island has served as a laboratory for strategies to deal with destructive storms. In some neighborhoods, residents took buyouts, retreating from flood-prone areas permanently. Despite that retreat, construction is expected to begin soon on a 5-mile (8-kilometer), $600 million seawall rising 21 feet (more than 6 meters) near those and other neighborhoods.Other parts of the city have also been developing coastal defenses.In Manhattan, a stretch of parkland along the East River is being elevated to serve as a barrier against future storm surges. Floodwalls are planned as part of a line of protections that will eventually form a “U” around Manhattan's southern tip. On the Rockaway Peninsula in Queens, boardwalks destroyed in the storm have been rebuilt as fortified flood barriers.Climate experts warn that although breakwaters are a useful tool to deal with intensifying storms, they’ll only help for so long as seas continue to rise.“They’re buying some time,” said Larissa Naylor, professor of geomorphology and environmental geography at the University of Glasgow in Scotland.Back in Tottenville, the breakwaters don’t bring the same psychological sense of safety as a large seawall or levee. Brashear said Tottenville residents who participated in the design process didn’t want a wall that would hinder access to their beach. But some residents are skeptical that the breakwaters will help much if another storm like Sandy comes ashore.“If another storm comes, it’s not doing nothing,” neighborhood resident Michele Heerlein, 61, said, referring to the barrier system.But Heerlein, who grew up a few blocks from the beach, said she has seen more stingrays, sharks, and fish since the breakwaters started being installed.“They might bring the clams and the muscles back,” she said, pointing at the breakwaters. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Photos You Should See - Sept. 2024

Suggested Viewing

Join us to forge
a sustainable future

Our team is always growing.
Become a partner, volunteer, sponsor, or intern today.
Let us know how you would like to get involved!

CONTACT US

sign up for our mailing list to stay informed on the latest films and environmental headlines.

Subscribers receive a free day pass for streaming Cinema Verde.
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.