Nothing has caught my eye in the same way that “Firefighting chemicals found in sea lion and fur seal pups” did on my monthly google search for blog topics. The real paper is called “Per and polyfluoroalkyl subtances (PFAS) at high concentrations in neonatal Australian pinnipeds”. Researchers from the University of Sydney analyzed levels of PFA’s found in three pinniped species: Australian Sea Lion (N. cinerea), Australian Fur Seal (A.p. doriferus), and Long-nosed Fur Seal (A. forsteri). PFA’s (identified as PFOA’s and PFOS’s through out the article) are fire retardant chemicals that can be found in products such as fire fighting foams, “stain repellents, polishes, paints and coatings”.

Compared to our knowledge of the terrestrial environment, the ocean remains enigmatic; a vast, relentless mystery, the depths of which we understand less than the surface of the Moon. Serene though they may appear, coastlines the world over are being remodelled and redesigned to suit the needs of a growing human population, through the addition of artificial structures.

Dinoflagellates are single-celled eukaryotes that are capable of photosynthesis, heterotrophy (eating), or both. They have a few several noteworthy characteristics: they can travel vertically in the water column using their flagella, they are capable of bioluminescence which can light up the ocean at night(!), and some coastal species produce toxins that can harm fish, birds and people.

This week we interviewed the lovely Leah Dann about her experience as a Marine Biologist and her research on Sea Cucumbers in the Phillipines, here’s what she had to say.