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Freshwater springs support amazing ecosystems and reflect the health of aquifers humans rely on. What can we do to protect them?

Sara Van Note

March 19, 2019 |

Ensia |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Chaves County, New Mexico

Freshwater springs are an indicator of the health and quality of our groundwater (drinking water), but their conservation is often overlooked in government funding. This article offers a few examples of ongoing efforts to protect them. One of those is the Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico that has brought back several endangered species of snails and crustaceans in addition to native grasses as a result of their conservation.

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This fish-zapping robot is hunting invasive lionfish in coral reefs

Adele Peters

March 13, 2019 |

FastCompany |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: Bahamas, Nassau

The Guardian is a robot that uses electric shocks to catch the lionfish, an invasive species that has been detrimental across the Atlantic. The project has transformed into a non-profit called Robots in Service of the Environment, which supports the mission of reducing lionfish to protect reefs and other natural habitats and species.

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Resurrecting the Greenback, Take Two

Lindsay Fendt

February 07, 2019 |

bioGraphic |

Multi-Media |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Boulder, Colorado

Fish conservation, in the rural streams of the Western United States, requires a remarkable amount of ongoing human intervention. Take the greenback cutthroat trout, Colorado's state fish. The greenback is bred in labs as part of a delicate effort to restore it to its native habitat. But in the wake of a 30 year conservation misstep, due to mistaken identity, scientists are undecided on the best path forward.

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A Faster Way to Find Illicit Fins

Alastair Bland

February 04, 2019 |

Hakai Magazine |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: Hong Kong

New DNA testing technology is showing promise as a faster, cheaper way to determine if a shark fin came from a protected species, an important task to curbing the illicit shark fin trade across the world. While experts warn that the technology won't act as a deterrent to the practice, it will help authorities better track and determine if shipments are suspect.

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A ‘FitBit for squid' could help track the ocean's squishier species

Marianne Messina

January 21, 2019 |

Mongabay |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Massachusetts

Squids play an important role in the ecosystem, so scientists are focusing efforts on better understanding how the species adapts to climate change. By creating a "FitBit for squid," scientists have successfully been able to monitor soft-bodied invertebrates.

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As Disease Ravages Coral Reefs, Scientists Scramble for Solutions

Ret Talbot

January 10, 2019 |

Yale Environment 360 |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Miami, Florida

As corals die-off globally, research groups around the world are working on a suite of remedies. From Australia to Florida, scientists are breeding resilient corals strains, transplanting healthy corals to new areas, and even applying antibiotics. But the solutions aren't yet scalable. Unless stresses like global warming and pollution are also addressed, such research is likely not enough.

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Scientists are using bacteria to remove harmful contaminants from our water. Here's how.

Hannah Thomasy

January 08, 2019 |

Ensia |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Rialto, California

It turns out that bacteria can do a lot more than contaminate water--some species break down toxic chemicals and remove heavy metals. Active sites already clean water in states like Kansas, Utah, Texas, and California; for example, one Californian groundwater treatment plant can clean 2,000 gallons of perchlorate-contaminated water per minute. Though some logistical and technical hurdles remain, these bacterial allies in the fight against water pollution are very promising.

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Montana waters test negative for mussels

Rob Zolman

December 19, 2018 |

Valley Journal |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Helena, Montana

In Montana last year, Fish Wildlife and Parks has worked with stakeholders across the state, running 35 watercraft stations that inspected over 100,000 boats. Meanwhile, the agency has coordinated with other organizations to educate the public about invasive aquatic species. At least in part thanks to these efforts, no new invasive mussel introductions were found last year.

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This Ohio Paint Production Experiment Creates Art — and Potentially Jobs — From Polluted Mine Sites

Sara Schonhardt

November 19, 2018 |

100 Days in Appalachia |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Corning, Ohio

In Ohio, artists and scientists are teaming up, turning hazardous mine run-off into paint pigment. High demand for such pigment, public funding, and enthusiasm for clean waterways could go a long way to mitigate water pollution.

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Spawning an Intervention

Michelle Nijhuis

September 26, 2018 |

bioGraphic |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: Curaçao, Willemstad

Because of drastic reef declines globally, coral reef restoration efforts have gained support in recent years. To understand how to do it, a hardy band of conservationists in the Caribbean are looking at how corals reproduce. But as these scientists acknowledge, raising corals is challenging and complex. And such restoration is no silver bullet for continual habitat loss, pollution, and ocean acidification.

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