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Smithsonian Environmental Research Center

A lionfish with elongated spines and red and white stripes swims through a reef.

Eight of the Worst Marine Invaders, According to Scientists

Lionfish, mitten crabs and "sea vomit." Meet eight marine species inadvertently brought to new territory that are taking the aquatic world by storm.

Close-up of a bright green patch of seagrass under bright blue water

Eight Weird Facts About Seagrass (and Why It’s Essential)

Fact one: It's not seaweed.

Head and shoulders photo of Denise Breitburg, a woman with glasses and shoulder-length gray hair, with forested mountains in the background.

Wait, the Ocean Is Losing Oxygen? Q&A With Denise Breitburg

Marine ecologist Denise Breitburg explains how oxygen loss is crippling our oceans, and why it needs to be included as the tenth "planetary boundary"

A swarm of yellow fish and silver fish with yellow tailfins swim around a coral reef

Adult Fish Aren't Truly 'Protected' in Many Marine Protected Areas

To replenish adult spawners, marine protected areas need strong enforcement and climate-friendly design

Black monkey perches in a tree staring directly at camera

Eight Weird and Wondrous Discoveries From 2023

Life on the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, the true power of nature sanctuaries and more wild discoveries from the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center.

Underwater photo of a pink and gold coral reef in bright blue water, with small blue and yellow fish. A blurry reflection of the reef appears in the water at the top of the photo.

New Study Reveals Large Holes In America’s Ocean Protection. Here’s How We Can Fix Them.

Many governments are leaning on marine protected areas to fight biodiversity loss. But in America, ocean protections are uneven and often weak, leading scientists to call for new strategies.

Corals as far as the eye can see, with dark blue fishes swimming above

U.S. Needs to Diversify Marine Protected Areas to Reap Full Benefits

Almost all the marine protected areas in the U.S. sit in the central Pacific Ocean, while fragile ecosystems in other regions are being left out

Cownose rays are migratory animals that come into the Chesapeake in summer and swim to Florida for the winter. (Credit: Jay Fleming/SERC)

For The First Time, Biologists Track Cownose Rays To Florida And Back

Every summer, cownose rays stream into Chesapeake Bay to mate and give birth to their pups. When autumn comes, they disappear—presumably to migrate south, but no one knew for certain where they spent the winter. Now, after a three-year tagging study published Aug. 23 and led by the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC), scientists have solved the mystery. Cownose rays all along the Atlantic winter near Cape Canaveral, Florida, and it’s likely they return to the same spots each summer.

A Chinese mitten crab found in Chesapeake Beach, Maryland, in 2007. Chinese mitten crabs are most recognizable by their brown, spiny shells and furry “mittened” claws. (Credit: SERC)

Wanted: The Hunt for Chinese Mitten Crabs Is Back On

An army of invading crabs has disappeared. But scientists are skeptical about whether they’re gone for good, or just hiding. As warmer temps lure people onto the water, Smithsonian scientists are asking boaters to report any sightings of the elusive Chinese mitten crab.

Male Bocon toadfish of Panama attract mates by singing in a series of “grunts” and “boops.” (Credit: Study authors)

The Ugly Fish That Sings Its Own Song

SERC marine biologist Brianna Tracy holds a plate with marine life pulled from a dock in San Francisco. (Credit: Kristen Minogue/SERC)

Citizen Science: Help Spot Invaders With Your Smart Phone

SERC interns Michelle Edwards (left) and Claire Mueller (right) get ready to release a tagged bull shark. (Credit: Jay Fleming/Smithsonian)

Intern Logs: Tagging Sharks in the Sunshine State

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