Freshwater Mussels Declining Throughout The Northwest

By Courtney Flatt
Biologist Jordan Richard pulls a freshwater mussel off the bottom of the Clinch River to see if it's alive. Hundreds of thousands of mussels have perished in the ongoing die-off. CREDIT: Nathan Rott/NPR
The decline of freshwater mussels could have a negative impact of waterways throughout the West CREDIT: Nathan Rott/NPR Listen Courtney Flatt reports on the decline of freshwater mussels in the West and the potential environmental impact / Runtime – 0:50  Read   The Northwest’s freshwater mussels are in trouble. Almost every population biologists study is… Read More

Climate Change Is Causing Problems For Puffins

By NPR News
A puffin on Eastern Egg Rock.
Maine's population of rare Atlantic puffins took a hit this year, as the number of chicks to survive a tough summer plummeted. The state's coastal bays and the Gulf of Maine is among the fastest-warming large water bodies on the planet, making the puffins' fate a test-case for how climate change could disrupt marine ecosystems worldwide. Read More

‘Blue Tides’ Of Sailor Jellies On Northwest Coast Correlate With Warmer Seas In Winter

By Tom Banse
A mass stranding of Velella velella at Fort Stevens State Park, Oregon, in 2015.
New research out of the University of Washington finds a correlation between warmer ocean waters and mass strandings of By-the-wind sailor jellyfish over the past two decades. The brief, widespread beachings of "gazillions" of purplish-blue jellies along the Pacific Northwest coast create a memorable sight for those who chance to be in the right place at the right time. Read More
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