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Papers
12 resultsShowing papers from San Francisco State University
ClearA growing plastic smog, now estimated to be over 170 trillion plastic particles afloat in the world’s oceans—Urgent solutions required
Researchers analyzed ocean plastic data from over 11,000 sampling stations worldwide spanning 1979 to 2019. They estimated that approximately 82 to 358 trillion plastic particles are now floating in the world's oceans, and found a rapid acceleration in plastic pollution since 2005. The study underscores the urgent need for international policy interventions, as current levels suggest existing efforts have not been sufficient to slow the growing plastic burden.
Marine mammal conservation: over the horizon
This review examines the conservation status of marine mammals, which play important ecological roles and serve as indicators of ocean health. The researchers found that at least 25% of marine mammal species are classified as threatened, facing risks from climate change, fisheries bycatch, pollution, and maritime development. The study outlines research priorities and conservation strategies needed to protect at-risk species while building on recent recovery successes.
<scp>DNA</scp>‐metabarcoding supports trophic flexibility and reveals new prey species for the Galapagos sea lion
DNA metabarcoding of Galapagos sea lion fecal samples revealed a broader prey diversity than previously identified by visual methods, showing that the sea lions exhibit flexible foraging strategies including consumption of mesopelagic fish species in response to fluctuating food availability.
Biofilm facilitates metal accumulation onto microplastics in estuarine waters
This study demonstrated that biofilm colonization on microplastics in estuarine waters significantly enhanced their sorption of metals such as copper and zinc, suggesting biofouling changes the contaminant-carrying capacity of plastic debris.
Challenges and priorities for river cetacean conservation
This review synthesizes 280 studies on river cetacean conservation, identifying habitat degradation, bycatch, vessel strikes, and pollution — including plastic contamination — as the primary threats to freshwater dolphin and porpoise populations in China, South Asia, and South America.
“Slow” and “fast” in blue carbon: Differential turnover of allochthonous and autochthonous organic matter in minerogenic salt marsh sediments
Researchers found that salt marsh sediments in San Francisco Bay sequester a mix of ancient allochthonous and contemporary autochthonous organic carbon at different turnover rates, suggesting that not all buried carbon counts equally toward long-term blue carbon storage.
Microplastic sampling with the AVANI trawl compared to two neuston trawls in the Bay of Bengal and South Pacific
Researchers compared the performance of the high-speed AVANI trawl against the manta trawl and DiSalvo neuston net for microplastic collection in the Bay of Bengal and South Pacific, finding that the AVANI trawl generally collected greater abundances while producing comparable results that allow cross-study comparisons.
Convergent Evolution of Bioluminescent Symbioses in Fish and Cephalopods: Mechanisms, Host Specificity, and Ecological Roles
This review examines the convergent evolution of bioluminescent symbioses in fish and cephalopods, analyzing mechanisms of host-microbe interaction, host specificity, and ecological roles using model systems such as Euprymna scolopes with Vibrio fischeri and ponyfishes with Photobacterium.
Microplastics extraction from oyster tissue v1
Researchers developed and validated a protocol for extracting microplastics from oyster tissue, addressing the challenges of isolating plastic particles from a complex biological matrix that includes lipids, proteins, and mineral content. The method enables reliable quantification of microplastic contamination in bivalves — a widely consumed seafood and established bioindicator of coastal pollution — supporting standardised monitoring of microplastic uptake in marine food species.
Report of the Pollution 2025 - Cumulative Effects - Multiple Stressors IWC Intersessional Workshop
This report summarizes proceedings and findings from the IWC Intersessional Workshop on Pollution 2025, focusing on cumulative effects and multiple stressors on cetacean populations, including plastic pollution, chemical contaminants, and their interactions with other environmental pressures.
Teaching Image Processing and Optical Engineering to University Biology Students
This paper describes a laboratory course teaching undergraduate biology students image processing and optical engineering skills for biophysics research. These technical skills are increasingly applied in microplastics research for automated particle detection and identification.
Habitat modeling of Irrawaddy dolphins (<i>Orcaella brevirostris</i>) in the Eastern Gulf of Thailand
This study modeled habitat preferences of Irrawaddy dolphins in Thailand's Gulf of Thailand to inform marine spatial planning and conservation. While not directly about microplastics, dolphins are top predators accumulating contaminants including plastic-associated chemicals through food chains.