Blackburn International’s Post

🌊 Did You Know? ● The Barramundi fish, also called Asian Sea Bass, undergoes an incredible biological process known as protandry! 🐟 They begin life as males and later transition to females as they age. ● This fascinating transformation is one of nature’s many wonders and highlights the diverse adaptations of marine life. 🌿 💡 Share this post with your network to spread awareness about the amazing world of marine biology. 👉 Follow us for more fascinating insights into wildlife and nature! https://lnkd.in/gMkmAv_P #didyouknow #marinebiology #naturefacts #oceanlife #wildlifeinsights #marineecosystem #biodiversity #educationalcontent #wildlifeconservation #learnsomethingnew #sustainability #scienceeducation #environmentalawareness TYCOONSTORY

PHD OPPORTUNITY: Marine Habitat Restoration (Seagrass) - The University of Western Australia This PhD project aims to fill this knowledge gap by: 1. Identifying what makes a ‘good’ habitat by comparing direct fitness measures (condition, growth, reproduction and survival) and the resulting population trajectories in restored/unrestored habitats. 2. Determining when animal preferences can limit restoration success through studies of habitat selection. 3. Applying this knowledge to assess current seagrass, kelp forest, and shellfish restoration projects in Western Australia and Victoria. See full details here: https://lnkd.in/gv3uf-d6 #phd #phdopportunity #careers #careerdevelopment #seagrass #ecology #restoration #habitatrestoration #marinescience #marinebiology

Get your #marineconservation #career started and sign up for our 'Ecological Monitoring Program' (EMP) 🌊 The 'Ecological Monitoring Program' is designed to give you an introduction to #coralreef #ecology and how to view the reef scientifically by assessing key biotic and abiotic reef components. The course teaches you how to use real world #scientific sampling and reef #surveytechniques and certifies you to conduct your own surveys and report data back to the online database. Parameters assessed include #fish and #invertebrate abundance and #biodiversity, substrate cover, #coraltaxonomy, #coraldiseases, #coralbleaching, and more. This course is a prerequisite for many of the other courses offered by Conservation Diver. Start your journey today and get our manual on AMAZON: https://lnkd.in/g-chUr-3 OR Check out our video on YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gcFQBy-k OR Start your online learning on our Conservation Campus page: https://lnkd.in/gkXABi2B. #marinebiology #marineconservation #marineconservationcareers #marinescience #scubadiving

CORAL REEF NEWS: Can scientists help corals by killing starfish? The problem began in the 1960s, when biologists who study Australia’s Great Barrier Reef began to notice an uptick in crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci), a spiny, voracious eater of the live polyps of hard corals that can decimate entire reefs. Four successive 10- to 15-year outbreaks of the starfish have since swept through the sprawling reef system, leaving authorities perplexed about how to stop the carnage and save coral that’s also struggling to cope with climate change. In 2012, scientists stepped in with a radical solution: a yearslong program to systematically cull starfish across hundreds of the Great Barrier’s reefs. The action wasn’t without critics. But research published earlier this year in PLOS ONE indicates it was effective, allowing an expansion in coral cover—even on reefs where culling didn’t directly occur. Read full story here: https://lnkd.in/encY8Weh #coralreefs #coralhealth #coralnews #crownofthorns #starfish #cot #coral #coralreefecology #marinescience #marineecology #marinebiology

PhD Positions in Marine Ecology: Castorani Lab The Castorani Lab are a group of marine ecologists in the Department of Environmental Sciences at the University of Virginia. Although research projects in the lab are diverse, they are collectively interested in understanding the population and community ecology of coastal ecosystems. The team studies a variety of nearshore habitats, including kelp forests, seagrass meadows, and oyster reefs, and the rich biodiversity that these environments support. They combine long-term observations, experiments, and models to understand the abundance and distribution of species across a broad range of scales. Much of the work is interdisciplinary, involving collaborations in biogeochemistry, geomorphology, hydrodynamics, mathematics, oceanography, and remote sensing. Through this research, they aim to push the boundaries of fundamental understanding and apply our discoveries to improve coastal conservation, restoration, and management. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/eF8TZXYX #seagrass #oysterreefs #kelpforests #phd #phdopportunity #careers #careerdevelopment #marineecology #marinescience #marinebiology

Thanks to Chris Smillie, I was able to talk to Eden Project University Centre- Cornwall College students on ecological/environmental careers and talking about the opportunities and risks we face within the construction and engineering industry. It was great to see how enthusiastic students were to know what skills are required that would make a difference to employers and the employees to be able to excel and deliver successful outcomes. Naturally, Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) came up and to be able to understand it's potential was of great interest to those that study at the college. This all-rounded talk touched on other key topics such as the involvement of technical specialists within projects. It's positive to have heard that students already understand the importance of engaging with technical specialists such as ecologists and landscape experts early on in the design process and that there is a need to collaborate and have a core team team of people at kick-off meetings. Whilst we all heard about the technical advancements we hope to see in the industry, we identified the challenges women still face in technical roles. The students were keen to see that there are companies like COWI that support their employees in making a change to the environment for the better. They were attracted by the idea of the advancement of sustainability coming from our senior leadership and by being in a leadership ecology and biodiversity role, that I am able to influence how we able to support engineers, designers, project managers, bid managers and more by knowledge-sharing and communicating the importance of biodiversity and the impact we can positively make. #ecology #biodiversity #sustainability #BNG #engineering #construction #careers #education #womeninengineering #corwall

🌊🐟 Curious about the life of an aquatic researcher? Here's a glimpse into our exciting world! Aquatic researchers spend a significant amount of time conducting fieldwork, collecting samples, monitoring marine or freshwater ecosystems, and studying aquatic organisms in their natural habitats. They travel to diverse locations, from coastal areas to deep-sea environments, and use specialized equipment for underwater exploration. Their work is vital to understanding and protecting our precious aquatic ecosystems. So next time you're at the beach, take a moment to appreciate the important work of these researchers!🤗 #aquaticresearch #fieldwork #marinebiology

🔍 Dive into the Microscopic World: Mastering Plankton Tow Techniques! 🌊🔬 Exploring the diverse and vital world of plankton is essential for understanding aquatic ecosystems. Wondering how researchers collect these microscopic wonders? Here's a sneak peek into the fascinating methods of conducting plankton tows! 🦠🧪 1️⃣ **Types of Tows**: - **Horizontal Tows**: Perfect for surface-dwellers and shallow waters. - **Vertical Tows**: Great for comprehensive samples from different water depths. - **Oblique Tows**: The best of both worlds, capturing a full water body snapshot. 2️⃣ **Key Techniques**: - **Precision in Vertical Tows**: Maintain a steady 0.5 to 1 m/s for accurate sampling. - **Consistency in Horizontal Tows**: Use a flow meter to track water volume, ensuring meticulous data analysis. 3️⃣ **Tow Duration & Speed**: - Standard tow duration is 5-15 minutes. - Keep those horizontal surface tows cruising smoothly at 1-3 knots! 4️⃣ **Data Analysis**: - Record depth, distance, and water volume to understand plankton distribution accurately! Intrigued by the intricacies of these methods? 🌎👩🔬 Explore the full article by Simply Ecologist to get the comprehensive insights you need to conduct effective research: [Simply Ecologist - Plankton Tow Methods](https://lnkd.in/gtpKaGei). #PlanktonResearch #MarineScience #Ecology #EnvironmentalResearch #SimplyEcologist #PlanktonTows 📊🌐

Click on the "whale fall" link in the post or below, to watch a short 2 minute video on the phenomenon that occurs when a whale's life ends. My youngest produced an assignment on this when they were asked to describe the intricacies of an ecosystem of their choice! I learnt something that day; I had never heard of a whale fall. As a biology tutor and advocate for the natural world, I love learning about wildlife. Let me know what you think. #NaturalWorld #Whales #OceanLife #MarineBiology #Ecosystem https://lnkd.in/e-dn8cpM

🌊 Dive into Marine Biology with our Blubber Experiment! 🐋🧊 Discover how marine animals like whales and polar bears stay warm in subfreezing temperatures. Try our hands-on activity and share pics in the comments below! 🐾 For more cool facts and activities, check out our Ecologist School Sample Lessons at https://lnkd.in/gF4WAgWW #FamiliesInNature #EcologistSchool #MarineBiology #BlubberExperiment