The ability of baby fish to find a home, or other safe haven, to grow into adulthood will be severely impacted under predicted ocean acidification, academics have found.
Research published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, the international team, which included a researcher from the University of Exeter, reports the interpretation of normal ocean sound cues which help baby fish find an appropriate home is completely confused under the levels of CO2 predicted to be found in oceans by the end of the century.
Team member Dr Stephen Simpson, from the University...
East Devon’s glorious beaches have never been cleaner. But behind the scenes much hard work has been carried out between East Devon District Council and the Environment Agency to ensure that the new high standards set by the EU are both met and maintained. As natural environments, beaches can be badly affected by weather, particularly storms, so the heavy rainfall that the South West is currently experiencing has an impact on bathing water quality, by washing polluted water into the rivers and drains that lead into coastal waters. It can then take days or even weeks for this surface water...
Marine litter can undermine the psychological benefits of coastal environments, a study has shown.
The beneficial effects of the blue environment to human health and well-being are well documented, but there has been little research into how the growing global issue of marine litter might negate them.
To measure this, Plymouth University secured funding from the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) to assess public reaction to the differing conditions of coastlines.
Piles of wet wipes are littering our beaches as more people choose to use moist cloths to remove make-up, replace traditional toilet paper and apply fake tan. According to the latest beach litter data collected by the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) and published today in its Great British Beach Clean report, numbers of wet wipes found on beaches increased by over 50% in a single year!
The charity’s report, which also reveals a 6.4% rise in beach litter between 2013 and 2014, comes as the Government claims that no new action is needed on marine litter and claims it’s doing all it...
South West Water has been ordered to pay over £40,000 in fines and costs after polluting a Devon watercourse in a case brought by the Environment Agency. Exeter Crown Court heard how a combination of plant break down, telemetry failures and poor management on the part of South West Water resulted in Woodbury’s Polly Brook becoming contaminated with poor quality sewage, which subsequently led to the death of a number of fish. South West Water admitted to two charges, namely by allowing sewage effluent that had not been fully treated to pollute the stream and also, failing to notify the...
Exeter residents are being asked for their views on a strategy aimed at cutting air pollution in the city.
Exeter City Council has just published its draft Low Emissions Strategy which sets out the ways the City Council and its partners plan to reduce air pollution caused by traffic. It aims to tackle nitrogen dioxide levels by reducing emissions from council-owned vehicles, as well as working with local businesses and organisations to increase the number of low emission vehicles and sustainable transport choices.
Closer working between the City and County Council and the...
An innovative community art installation goes on show next week to bring alive the impacts of Exeter’s new ‘Energy from Waste’ incineration facility.
Members of the community have been knitting larger than life versions of the particles that will be emitted from the new facility.
The exhibition which will be on display at the Real Food Café in Paris Street, is designed to tell people about the incinerator, encourage Devon County Council to ensure it is operated properly over its 25 years contract and think harder about their future waste management strategy.
Scientists from the Universities of Exeter and Bristol have conducted a study that shows eels are losing the fight to survive when faced with marine noise pollution such as that of passing ships.
The study, published today (August 7th) in the journal Global Change Biology, found European eels were 50% less likely to respond to an ambush from a predator, while those that did had 25% slower reaction times. Those that were pursued by a predator were caught more than twice as quickly when exposed to the noise.
Lead author Dr Steve Simpson, Senior Lecturer in Marine Biology...
Exeter students create system for cutting emissions
Students from the University of Exeter have created an innovative system to help reduce vehicle emissions, as part of their entry for a prestigious national completion.
Computer Science undergraduates Nicholas Sanders and Humphrey Shotton have designed a new system that allows motorists to see whether spaces are available in car parks.
By pre-warning drivers if spaces are empty or full, the system helps radically reduce waiting times during busy periods, and more importantly reduces vehicle emissions expended while...
Wildlife charities have welcomed the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) swift action to ban ships across the world from discharging all forms of high viscosity polyisobutylene (PIB) into the sea during tank cleaning operations. PIB was the chemical responsible for the deaths of over 4000 seabirds on the south west coast earlier this year.
The tragedy, the largest marine pollution incident of its kind in the region since Torrey Canyon, shocked thousands of people.
At a meeting of the IMO’s working group on the Evaluation of Safety and Pollution Hazards of Chemicals...
