University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science

Listener Picks: The future of ocean research We have better maps of the surface of Mars than the seafloor of our own planet.

Why do we have better maps of the surface of Mars than the seafloor of our own planet?

UMCES alumna and President & CEO of Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, Dr. Deborah Bronk (Ph.D. '92) appeared on The 1A podcast to discuss the future of ocean research.

Listen: the1a.org/segments/lis...

30.01.2026 18:13 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Multi‐Decadal Changes in Co‐Occurrence of Migrating Landbirds Are Associated With Species‐Specific Changes in Phenology and Abundance | Request PDF Request PDF | Multi‐Decadal Changes in Co‐Occurrence of Migrating Landbirds Are Associated With Species‐Specific Changes in Phenology and Abundance | Human‐induced changes to the climate and environme...

By showing how species-level processes can change an entire community, this research encourages a new multi-species approach to understanding and conserving migratory birds.
Our research: www.researchgate.net/publication/...

20.01.2026 21:19 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

UMCES Research Finds Climate Change and Species Declines Are Reshaping Communities of Migrating Birds A new study published in Global Change Biology advances our knowledge about migratory bird communities and confirms shifts in the bird species we see together during migration; information that could ...

Research conducted at UMCES Appalachian Laboratory found that changes in songbirds’ abundance & migration timing—often in response to climate change and habitat disturbances—are causing dramatic shifts in the bird species commonly seen together during migration. www.umces.edu/content/umce...

20.01.2026 21:19 — 👍 1    🔁 1    💬 1    📌 0

Dr. Elizabeth North, Dr. Matt Gray, and Dave Nemazie delivered the SB 830 (2022) report to Rep. Elfreth at her congressional office.

The most important finding is that alternative substrates (like different types of shells and stones) can be used to enhance oyster productivity and populations in the Chesapeake Bay.

Earlier this week, Dr. Elizabeth North, Dr. Matt Gray, and Dave Nemazie delivered the report to @elfreth.house.gov!

16.01.2026 19:05 — 👍 3    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Senate Bill 830 (2022) instructed UMCES to evaluate the many uses of alternative substrates for oysters. Explore the report: www.umces.edu/sites/defaul...

16.01.2026 19:05 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0

Photograph of Tables and Reef Arches (Left), Havre de Grace stone and Oyster Castles (Center), and Tridents (right) on retrieval three months after development. Researchers Jake Shaner and Matthew W. Gray shown in the left panel. The ruler in the top center panel is 10 centimeters long. Photos by Elizabeth North and Jake Shaner.

Cultivating oysters typically requires the use of oyster shells, which are in short supply. Alongside efforts to keep and recycle shells, UMCES researchers are testing other materials (alternative substrates) to meet the growing demand for oysters in restoration, commercial fishing, and aquaculture.

16.01.2026 19:05 — 👍 2    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0

I’ve been working on oyster policy since my first year in the Maryland Senate in 2019 – partnering with @umces.bsky.social & a bipartisan group of legislators to bring watermen & environmental groups together & find a path to restore & protect the Bay’s critical oyster population for generations.

15.01.2026 21:10 — 👍 3    🔁 1    💬 1    📌 0

🦪 Don’t call it a comeback! The mighty oyster – integral to the health of the Chesapeake Bay – is on the upswing.

15.01.2026 21:10 — 👍 3    🔁 1    💬 1    📌 0

#ICYMI IAN had a busy November, attending 3 different conferences across the #ChesapeakeBay watershed: the Chesapeake Watershed Forum in WV, #CERF in VA, and Maryland Water Monitoring Council in MD! We held workshops, presented about our report cards, & learned so much from fellow colleagues.

01.12.2025 21:11 — 👍 3    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0