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Blue carbon is fast garnering international interest for its disproportionate contribution to global carbon stocks. However, our understanding of the size of these blue carbon stocks, as well as the provenance of carbon that is stored within them, is still poor. This is especially pertinent for many small-island nations that may have substantial blue carbon ecosystems that are poorly studied. Here, we present a preliminary assessment of blue carbon from three islands in the Maldives. The higher purpose of this research was to assess the feasibility of using blue carbon to help offset carbon emissions associated with Maldivian tourism, the largest Maldivian industry with one of the highest destination-based carbon footprints, globally. We used stable isotope mixing models to identify how habitats contributed to carbon found in sediments, and Loss on Ignition (LoI) to determine carbon content. We found that for the three surveyed islands, seagrasses (Thalassia hemprichii, Thalassodendron ciliatum, Halodule pinofilia, Syringodium isoetifolium, and Cymodocea rotundata) were the main contributors to sediment blue carbon (55 - 72%) while mangroves had the lowest contribution (9 - 44%). Surprisingly, screw pine (Pandanus spp.), a relative of palm trees found across many of these islands, contributed over a quarter of the carbon found in sediments. Organic carbon content ('blue carbon') was 6.8 ± 0.3 SE % and 393 ± 29 tonnes ha-1 for mangrove soils, and 2.5 ± 0.2% and 167 ± 20 tonnes ha-1 for seagrasses, which is slightly higher than global averages. While preliminary, our results highlight the importance of seagrasses as carbon sources in Maldivian blue carbon ecosystems, and the possible role that palms such as screw pines may have in supplementing this. Further research on Maldivian blue carbon ecosystems is needed to: 1) map current ecosystem extent and opportunities for additionality through conservation and restoration; 2) determine carbon sequestration ra

Lost Civilization May Have Existed Beneath the Persian Gulf.

Even as Japan remains divided over proposed changes in the role it should play in regional security issues, senior U.S. and Japanese military officers say they hope the Japanese navy may soon be freed up to play a more active role in the Pacific and beyond, plying some of the world's most hotly contested waters.

Even as Japan remains divided over proposed changes in the role it should play in regional security issues, senior U.S. and Japanese military officers say they hope the Japanese navy may soon be freed up to play a more active role in the Pacific and beyond, plying some of the world's most hotly contested waters.

Dolphins in Shark Bay, Australia, cooperate to herd females in ways that anthropologist Barbara J. KING says are unusually complex. Related research may shed light on the evolution of our own brains.

Dolphins in Shark Bay, Australia, cooperate to herd females in ways that anthropologist Barbara J. KING says are unusually complex. Related research may shed light on the evolution of our own brains.

Pirates have seized an Iranian vessel fishing illegally off the coast of Somalia in the first successful hijacking in almost three years, officials said Thursday, raising fears that the scourge of Somali piracy may be returning.

Pirates have seized an Iranian vessel fishing illegally off the coast of Somalia in the first successful hijacking in almost three years, officials said Thursday, raising fears that the scourge of Somali piracy may be returning.

Scientists have had a rare opportunity to inspect a dead killer whale that washed up at Plettenberg Bay this week. And its stomach contents have painted a sad story of how she may have spent her last days.

Scientists have had a rare opportunity to inspect a dead killer whale that washed up at Plettenberg Bay this week. And its stomach contents have painted a sad story of how she may have spent her last days.

SHARK Bay and the coastline off Karratha and Perth may be popular eateries for whale sharks (Rhincodon typus), satellite tracking has revealed.

SHARK Bay and the coastline off Karratha and Perth may be popular eateries for whale sharks (Rhincodon typus), satellite tracking has revealed.

MH370 search under review, may be scrapped: Mahathir.

Sediment that eroded from the Himalayas and Tibetan plateau over millions of years was transported thousands of kilometers by rivers and in the Indian Ocean - and became sufficiently thick over time to generate temperatures warm enough to strengthen the sediment and increase the severity of the catastrophic 2004 Sumatra earthquake.

Imagery has become a key tool for assessing deep-sea megafaunal biodiversity, historically based on physical sampling using fishing gears. Image datasets provide quantitative and repeatable estimates, small-scale spatial patterns and habitat descriptions. However, taxon identification from images is challenging and often relies on morphotypes without considering a taxonomic framework. Taxon identification is particularly challenging in regions where the fauna is poorly known and/or highly diverse. Furthermore, the efficiency of imagery and physical sampling may vary among habitat types. Here, we compared biodiversity metrics (alpha and gamma diversity, composition) based on physical sampling (dredging and trawling) and towed-camera still images (1) along the upper continental slope of Papua New Guinea (sedimented slope with wood-falls, a canyon and cold seeps), and (2) on the outer slopes of the volcanic islands of Mayotte, dominated by hard bottoms. The comparison was done on selected taxa (Pisces, Crustacea, Echinoidea, and Asteroidea), which are good candidates for identification from images. Taxonomic identification ranks obtained for the images varied among these taxa (e.g., family/order for fishes, genus for echinoderms). At these ranks, imagery provided a higher taxonomic richness for hard-bottom and complex habitats, partially explained by the poor performance of trawling on these rough substrates. For the same reason, the gamma diversity of Pisces and Crustacea was also higher from images, but no difference was observed for echinoderms. On soft bottoms, physical sampling provided higher alpha and gamma diversity for fishes and crustaceans, but these differences tended to decrease for crustaceans identified to the species/morphospecies level from images. Physical sampling and imagery were selective against some taxa (e.g., according to size or behavior), therefore providing different facets of biodiversity. In addition, specimens collected at a larger scale

Research May Also Help Determine Effects of Global Warming in the Region.

International marine scientists today warned it will be vital to protect key marine turtle nesting grounds and areas that may be suitable for turtle nesting in the future to ensure that the marine reptiles have a better chance of withstanding climate change.

Suite à la réussite du projet « poulpe » à Mbouanatsa en fin d'année 2016, ce samedi 11 février 2017, l'association des pêcheurs à pied de Mtsahara, accompagnée par le Parc naturel marin de Mayotte, fermera également la pêche sur le platier du village. L'objectif est de permettre aux poulpes de se reproduire, et de devenir plus gros et plus nombreux. La réouverture du site aura lieu le 27 mai 2017.

Massive seagrass beds in Western Australia's Shark Bay - a UNESCO World Heritage Site - haven't recovered much from the devastating heat wave of 2011, according to a new study demonstrating how certain vital ecosystems may change drastically in a warming climate.

15th May - Earlier today, following the decision taken on 23 March 2012 by the Council of the European Union to allow the EU Naval Force to take disruption action against known pirate supplies on the shore, EU forces conducted an operation to destroy pirate equipment on the Somali coastline.

C'était une arrivée toute en douceur, au petit matin de l'océan Indien. Groupama sailing team a franchi la ligne d'arrivée du port secret à 02h04''19' UTC aujourd'hui. Sur les visages de l'équipage français, des sourires de soulagement malgré une quatrième place qui n'est pas idéale.

Les jours se ressemblent peut-être à bord de Groupama 4, mais les Français continuent de mener la course et « les classements apportent leur lot de sourires à chaque fois, » nous écrit ce matin Yann RIOU.

Pas de jour férié pour les cinq Volvo Open 70 qui progressent vers l'arrivée de la première partie de l'étape entre Le Cap et Abu Dhabi. La flotte est menée par CAMPER, mais le bateau rouge gardera-t-il la tête jusqu'au bout ?

NOAA scientists are warning that warm ocean temperatures in the tropical Pacific and Indian Oceans could set the stage for major coral bleaching events across the globe in 2015.

NOAA scientists are warning that warm ocean temperatures in the tropical Pacific and Indian Oceans could set the stage for major coral bleaching events across the globe in 2015.

A l'occasion d'une réunion du Conseil de sécurité sur la piraterie au large de la Somalie, le Secrétaire général adjoint aux affaires politiques, Jeffrey FELTMAN, a souligné mercredi les progrès réalisés contre ce fléau mais a jugé qu'il fallait aider la Somalie à développer ses institutions pour s'assurer que ces progrès perdurent.