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Science News
Invasive Reeds Gain an Edge on Native Plants with More CO2
 The tall and fluffy marsh plant called
Phragmites australis, or the common reed, has a bad rep in the Chesapeake Bay. It’s an invasive species that many have called an unsightly symbol of environmental change. Now, new research indicates that increased carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere may give these plants an even greater edge. But, though it’s hard to root for an invasive, there may be an upside, too -- these fast-growing European plants could help to protect native marsh species from the hazards of climate change. This water-loving plant grows all over the world. But different strains of
Phragmites don’t all behave the same. That became obvious when a strain from Europe was brought to the United States, likely in the 1800s, and began to creep into wetlands that were dominated by the American strain. Ever since, these native plants, including populations on the Delmarva Peninsula, have been on the run.
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After Historic Vote, Menhaden to Get Stronger Protections
 Last week was a big week for fish buffs, marine conservation advocates,
and the 300 or so employees of Omega Protein, a fish oil manufacturer in
in Reedville, Virginia. And maybe a bigger week for a small fish called
the Atlantic menhaden. On December 14, a coalition of federal
agencies and 15 states voted to extend new protections to the petite,
but important, menhaden. Conservation advocates say the new rules --
which will cap how many menhaden can be caught each year -- take a big
step toward recognizing the critical role that the fish plays in marine
ecosystems.
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Biodegradable Materials May Take the Scare Out of Ghost Fishing
 Just below the water's surface, the Chesapeake Bay is home to ghosts.
Not the poltergeist kind but rather lost or abandoned crab traps -- or,
as they're sometimes called, ghost pots. Tens of thousands of
these pots litter the bottom of the estuary. In most cases, boats have
cut the lines that tethered them to their buoys at the surface, making
them hard for watermen to retrieve. But many traps haven't lost their
ability to catch and detain marine life, potentially claiming a sizable
chunk of the Bay's crab population each year. Given that Maryland and
Virginia resource managers are working to help the crab populations
recover from a steep decline, that's a problem.
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Fredrika Moser, Research Leader And Policy Analyst, Named Maryland Sea Grant Director
 Fredrika Moser has been named director of Maryland Sea Grant College
following more than a decade of service to the program as its assistant
director for research and, since 2011, its interim director. Her
selection, following a nationwide search, was announced by Donald
Boesch, president of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental
Science, of which Maryland Sea Grant is a part. Maryland Sea Grant is
one of 34 university-based programs in coastal and Great Lakes states
that support research, education, and public outreach on marine and
coastal issues. These programs, administered by the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), work to promote environmentally
sustainable and economically viable uses of natural resources.
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Tiny Crustaceans: The Bay's Bad Guys?
 Steven Spielberg had his great white shark, and Ridley Scott had his
alien with acid for blood. But for Maryland native and fellow director
Barry Levinson, the new fearsome villains are tiny, wriggling
crustaceans in the Chesapeake Bay. Don’t scoff. Levinson, who
directed the cult favorite
Diner, a coming-of-age tale set in Baltimore,
has offered one creepy story in his latest film:
The Bay, released in
early November. In it, a small Maryland town on the Chesapeake Bay
becomes ground zero for a strange epidemic of yucky skin infections. The
cause, it turns out, isn’t a supervirus or a long-buried zombie curse.
It’s isopods.
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