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Seeing white blossoms around town and along highways? These are #BradfordPear trees, an inexpensive #ornamental that just happens to be #nonnative and highly #invasive. They offer no ecological service or value, and outcompete native species in wild landscapes. Stop planting them, and if you already have them, cut them down!

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Today's #climatechange workshop was all about models. 1) Using #lego to model #ocean acidification chemical reactions, 2) using #pokerchips to model #photosynthesis (and respiration) which sequesters carbon, and 3) using a sponge to model #marsh absorption of flood water. A great day!

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How do marine scientist test out their new #3D printer? By printing a #rubberduck donning #SCUBA tanks, of course!

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As I hiked part of #NewGermany State Park on Monday, and learned that this clearing was caused by #HurricaneSandy in 2012--250 miles from the coast--I had no idea that a northeaster and #Hurricane #Joaquin were beginning to set their sights on the east coast. #Sandy also brought this area 2-feet of early season snow and knocked out power for two weeks. We really are all connected to the #ocean. #latergram #mdstateparks #forest #hemlock #oceanliteracy #offthegrid (at New Germany State Park)

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Will people ever learn that the #water/#ocean is more than just a source of entertainment, here for human pleasure? Frustration does not begin to describe my reaction to us finding 21 golf balls this morning in #DelawareBay at #LewesBeach. The "good side" was finding some of the balls had #slippershell hitchhikers. #2minutebeachclean #LewesDE

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Found this juvenile #grouper in our habitat cage this morning while doing some #oceanography merit badge #fieldwork with a group of #BoyScouts from Pennsylvania. Fish species typically found in warmer climates make their way into #ChesapeakeBay and #DelawareBay this time of year, but can rarely find their way back "home" before our winter sets in. We will be upping its odds of survival by adding it to our aquarium exhibit for now. #fishofinstagram #fishesofintagram.

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While filming a #15secondscience about #cigarette #litter, @ltossey suggested we dissect the butt (found on the road). Since I'm always up for a good dissection, I dug right in. The yellow part on the left, which starts out as white, is the "filter," and while many people think it's made of cotton, a natural fiber, nearly all filters are made of a non-biodegradable form of #plastic. Not only do they not break down in the environment, they are also toxic to animals, including kids. For a look at the filter under the microscope, check out @deseagrant. #marinedebris #themoreyouknow

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Hello little #deepsea #anglerfish. There are over 200 species of these in the deep #ocean. This individual is a humpback anglerfish or common black devil, Melanocetus johnsonii, and is typically found at depths of 2,000 meters. Anglerfish are so named because of the protuberance atop their head, called an esca, that acts as #bioluminescent lure to catch prey. #oceanliteracy

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A tiny, recently hatched #horseshoe crab swimming in a drop of water in a little hand. #limuluslove #LewesDE #delagram #DelawareBay #DelawareBayshore