Recently published in Science Advances, work by Dr. Harvell and her colleagues showed that anomalously warm sea surface temperatures coincided with the peak declines due to disease of the predatory sunflower star (Pycnopodia helianthoides). The precipitous decline of this important subtidal predator may have large ecosystem-level consequences. Learn more about this work covered by The Atlantic, The Seattle Times, The Guardian, and in this stunning video coverage by the Hakai Institute.
Upcoming Book Release: Ocean Outbreak
Look out for Drew’s new book, Ocean Outbreak: Confronting the Rising Tide of Marine Disease, to be released April 2019. It is a tale of four ocean outbreaks–corals, abalone, salmon, and starfish–and the value of ecosystem services for a healthier ocean.
Description:
A healthy ocean is a lifeline for humanity, but the ocean’s health is at risk as epidemics devastate both habitat-forming species, like seagrasses and corals, and keystone species, like starfish and salmon. Humans have created a perfect storm of outbreak conditions: aquaculture and human sewage introduce new infections and fertilize existing ones, shipping spreads infections globally and warming incubates them. Infections in our oceans cause massive die-offs with sweeping ecological impacts. The loss of food harvested from the ocean and its monetary value to fishers impacts our economy. Pathogens incubated in a warming ocean threaten our very health. Ocean Outbreak explores the four biggest epidemics, taking the reader to the front lines of our confrontations with infectious diseases to investigate how four iconic marine animals have been devastated: starfish, abalone, salmon and coral reefs. The stories of these outbreaks reveal how we are tipping the balance in favor of pathogens, how detective work sleuths out the infectious agents and how environmental change amplifies their impact. Ocean Outbreak concludes by showing how we can find our way back to healthier seas, combating infection with nature’s own pathogen-fighting weapons.
Society of Environmental Journalists coverage of ‘A Sea of Glass’
Do you want an insiders look into Dr. Harvell’s ‘A Sea of Glass’? SEJournal BookShelf editor Tom Henry spoke with Harvell about how she conceived and executed the book here!
‘Author and evolutionary biologist Drew Harvell during an ocean dive to find living counterparts to glass models in Cornell’s Blaschka collection. Photo courtesy Harvell.’
Hot off the press — Plastic waste associated with disease on coral reefs
Newly published in Science, read ‘Plastic waste associated with disease on coral reefs’ here. Read more about this awesome study in the news, covered by The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Newsweek, and many more!
Popular Writing
Read Dr. Harvell’s Popular Writing, from blog posts to op-eds, here!
ACSF Seagrass Chronicles
Click here for an awesome video about our recent seagrass publication, featuring our stars Joleah Lamb and Drew Harvell.
New York Times Coverage: Seagrass in the Spotlight
Check out the NYT’s coverage of Joleah Lamb’s publication on the importance of seagrass ecosystems to the health of humans and other organisms here.
Seagrass Bioremediation — Exciting New Publication in Science Journal
Hot off the press, ‘Seagrass ecosystems reduce exposure to bacterial pathogens of humans, fishes, and invertebrates’ makes the front cover of Science 17 Feb 2017. Joleah Lamb, our post-doctoral affiliate, along with her team found that coastal seagrasses reduce bacteria that are pathogenic to humans, fish, and invertebrates. This exciting study has been covered by The New York Times, BBC, and the Quirks & Quarks podcast, among others!
Drew Presents A Sea of Glass at the San Juan Community Theatre
On July 20th, Drew gave a presentation at the San Juan Community Theatre on the Blaschka glass inverts and our search for their living counterparts. She also screened David O. Brown’s Fragile Legacy and did a book signing for A Sea of Glass!
FHL Tide Bite: The Search for Blaschka Matches at FHL
July 2016’s FHL Tide Bite features our search for Blaschka matches at Friday Harbor Labs!
Read it here.