Sawfish Return? Searching Gulf Waters with eDNA

An internship is a great opportunity to refine skills and get real-world experience. We sat down with research intern Taniya Johnson to chat about her path to the Dauphin Island Sea Lab and current projects.

Every year on November 3, jellyfish take center stage. We chatted with Dauphin Island Sea Lab Discovery Hall Programs educator Greg Graeber about what jellyfish are and how to avoid their sting.

Sawfish may be returning to Alabama waters, and new DISL Senior Marine Scientist Dr. Nicole Phillips is using eDNA to find out. Phillips, who joined DISL in August, explains what a sawfish really is, why the U.S. is the last stronghold for the smalltooth sawfish, and how a water sample can reveal an animal no one has seen.

Where saltwater and freshwater meet, estuaries create a rich, biodiverse habitat. In this podcast, we chat with JoAnn Moody, an educator in DISL's Discovery Hall Programs, about the importance of estuaries.

Diatoms are tiny organisms that produce oxygen, form the foundation of ocean food webs, and play a surprisingly big role in our everyday lives. In this Sea Lab Sidebar, Dr. Jeffrey Krause, DISL Senior Marine Scientist and University of South Alabama Professor, helps us zoom in on the fascinating world beneath the surface of the ocean.

In honor of National Oyster Day on August 5, we're chatting with Dr. Lee Smee about how his lab is helping oysters build a stronger shell to protect themselves from predators.

Horseshoe crabs are living fossils and are important to modern medicine. You may not have ever seen these 'humble monsters', but you may still have a connection. Joining us to chat and celebrate horseshoe crabs are Dr. Ruth Carmichael, Senior Marine Scientist at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, and Lusita Meilana, Researcher at IPB University International Research Institute for Maritime, Ocean and Fisheries in Indonesia.

Tagging sea turtles helps in understanding their migration patterns and where they live. Dr. Katrina Phillips explains what types of tags they use and how they attach them to the turtle's carapace. It's not all super sciency.

Oysters are called ecosystem engineers because they build their habitat, but sometimes they need a helping hand. In this episode, we chat with researcher Christa Russell about oyster restoration. Along with sharing how they build an oyster reef, she discusses the oyster life cycle and how oysters decide where to settle.

World Sea Turtle Day is May 23, and this episode of the Sea Lab Sidebar is out just in time to celebrate. DISL Senior Marine Scientist Dr. Katrina Phillips chats about which sea turtles call the Gulf home, their migration patterns, and the 'lost years' that she studies.