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A universe of beauty, mystery and wonder
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Friday, June 7, 2013

ENVIRONMENT NEWS -
 

JELLYFISH COULD TAKE OVER THE OCEANS

 

New book raises alarm over the rapid increase in jellyfish population. 

 

The large increase in jellyfish population in the oceans is a sign of the oceans' sickness, says author Lisa-ann Gershwin
 
In her new book Stung! On Jellyfish Blooms and the Future of the Ocean, Gershwin says that these "enchanting and lovely" invertebrates are in fact harbingers of the health of the oceans."They're an indicator that something is out of balance.”  Overfishing, rising water temperatures and ocean acidification create ideal environments for these sea creatures to thrive and multiply, Gershwin explains.
 
Although jellyfish rank low on the evolutionary tree (they don't even have a brain), they have the unique trait of eating things higher up on the food chain than themselves – things that are bigger, faster and smarter than they are.
 
They also compete with whales by preying on the fish and plankton that these much larger mammals typically feed on. “So jellyfish can wipe out a whole food chain by eating down at the bottom,” Gershwin says. “And they’re doing this.”
 
Read article and listen to podcast with radio interview here: http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/story/2013/06/07/tech-jellyfish-bloom-quirks.html

RELATED

Jellyfish secret of immortality:
http://ottersandsciencenews.blogspot.ca/2013/05/environmental-news-jellyfish-invasion.html

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