Biology Highlights

Satellite Tracking Reveals Sea Turtle Feeding Hotspots

Gainesville, Fla. – Satellite tracking of threatened loggerhead sea turtles has revealed two previously unknown feeding ‘hotspots’ in the Gulf of Mexico that are providing important habitat for at least three separate populations of the turtles, according to a study published recently in the journal Biological Conservation. USGS News Release>>

Severe Declines in Everglades Mammals Linked to Pythons

Homestead, Fla. – Precipitous declines in formerly common mammals in Everglades National Park have been linked to the presence of invasive Burmese pythons, according to a study published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The study, the first to document the ecological impacts of this invasive species, strongly supports that animal communities in this 1.5-million-acre park have been markedly altered by the introduction of pythons within 11 years of their establishment as an invasive species. Mid-sized mammals are the most dramatically affected. USGS News Release>>

Salt Water Alone Unlikely to Halt Burmese Python Invasion

Gainesville, Fla. - Invasive Burmese python hatchlings from the Florida Everglades can withstand exposure to salt water long enough to potentially expand their range through ocean and estuarine environments, according to research in the latest issue of the Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology.

This recent study, based on lab experiments conducted by researchers from the U.S. Geological Survey, provides initial evidence that pythons may be able to survive in marine and estuarine environments such as bays, inlets and open seas. The results raise concerns that the invasive constrictor may invade nearby islands, such as the Florida Keys, said Kristen Hart, a USGS research ecologist and lead author of the study. USGS News Release>>

Famous Manatee Sighted in Chesapeake Bay After Long Absence

Gainesville, Fla. – A manatee spotted this week in Calvert County, Maryland is the same one that first made waves 17 years ago when he appeared in Chesapeake Bay just before the onset of winter and later had to be rescued.

Named "Chessie," the manatee's identity was verified by U.S. Geological Survey biologist Cathy Beck, who used photos taken July 12 and matched them with Chessie's photographic record in a USGS manatee database. Chessie's tell-tale markings include a long, gray scar on his left side. USGS News Release>>

Extent and Speed of Lionfish Spread Unprecedented

The rapid spread of lionfishes along the U.S. eastern seaboard, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean is the first documented case of a non-native marine fish establishing a self-sustaining population in the region, according to recent U.S. Geological Survey studies. USGS News Release>>

USGS Undertakes Additional Studies of Reef Damage in Gulf of Mexico to Assess Cause

Gainesville, Florida — A team of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and academic scientists are analyzing samples of coral and surrounding sediments from an area damaged near the Deepwater Horizon site in the Gulf of Mexico. These samples, collected in December, are being used to investigate how and why the corals on these reefs died. USGS News Release>>

DISCOVRE Starts 2010-2011 Season of Deep Coral Field Studies

This year's interagency DISCOVRE program starts its regular field season with a Gulf of Mexico research cruise from Sept 20 to Oct 3. The cruise will visit Lophelia reefs, named for the coldwater Lophelia corals that form the structural basis of the reefs. There are 3 other cruises planned for the 2010-2011 field season, two in the Gulf of Mexico and one in the Atlantic off Florida and North Carolina. DISCOVRE will continue its tradition of posting cruise blogs. Learn More>>