#shoreline erosion

[wikipediapictures]

Tetrapod (structure)

“Tetrapods on Graciosa Island, Azores” - via Wikimedia Commons

[medicalweightloss100]

Geotextile Fabrics: The Ultimate Solution for Soil Stabilization & Erosion Control

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Why Geotextile Fabrics Are Essential for Road Construction and Drainage Systems?

Geotextile fabrics play a vital role in road construction and drainage management by preventing soil erosion and enhancing durability. These high-performance materials improve load distribution, ensuring roads last longer with minimal maintenance. In drainage applications, geotextiles act as filters, preventing soil particles from clogging drainage pipes while allowing water to flow freely. This not only enhances water management but also reduces infrastructure costs in the long run. Available in woven and non-woven types, geotextiles are tailored to meet different engineering needs. Contractors and engineers rely on them to build strong, stable foundations for highways, railways, and embankments. Whether you're working on a major construction project or need a reliable drainage solution, geotextile fabrics provide unmatched efficiency and sustainability. Investing in these fabrics ensures your structures remain resilient against natural forces, offering long-term benefits in infrastructure development.

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Geotextile fabrics not only improve construction efficiency but also offer significant environmental benefits. These eco-friendly materials reduce soil erosion, protect natural resources, and enhance water filtration. By stabilizing slopes and preventing sediment runoff, geotextiles help maintain ecological balance in construction zones. They also minimize the need for excessive concrete and other non-renewable materials, making them a sustainable choice for infrastructure projects. In agricultural applications, geotextiles promote healthy soil retention, improving crop yields while preventing land degradation. Additionally, their use in landfills ensures proper waste management by acting as a protective barrier between waste and groundwater. With growing concerns about climate change and environmental preservation, adopting geotextile solutions is a responsible choice for builders and engineers. Whether for roads, embankments, or drainage systems, geotextile fabrics contribute to a greener future while enhancing construction durability and efficiency.

How Geotextile Fabrics Enhance Strength and Longevity in Infrastructure Projects?

Geotextile fabrics play a crucial role in reinforcing infrastructure projects, providing superior strength and longevity. Used in roads, railways, and embankments, these fabrics prevent soil displacement and increase structural stability. Their high tensile strength allows them to withstand heavy loads, reducing maintenance costs and extending the lifespan of constructions. In water management projects, geotextiles act as effective filters, ensuring proper drainage and preventing sediment accumulation. This leads to improved flood control and soil conservation. By incorporating geotextile fabrics, engineers and contractors can enhance the durability of highways, bridges, and retaining walls. These materials are also resistant to chemicals and weather conditions, making them a reliable solution for long-term projects. Whether you're working on a small-scale development or a large infrastructure project, geotextile fabrics offer an economical and efficient way to strengthen foundations and improve overall construction performance.

Premium Geotextile Fabrics for Your Projects – Siraj Tech Limited

Looking for high-quality geotextile fabrics for your construction, landscaping, or drainage projects? Siraj Tech Limited offers a premium selection of geotextile solutions designed to enhance soil stability, erosion control, and drainage efficiency. Our woven and non-woven geotextiles are engineered for durability, making them ideal for roads, embankments, and environmental applications. With years of expertise in the industry, we provide cost-effective solutions tailored to meet your project requirements. Our products are made from top-grade materials, ensuring longevity and performance in even the most demanding conditions. At Siraj Tech Limited, we prioritize quality, reliability, and customer satisfaction. Whether you need bulk orders or specialized geotextile solutions, we are here to support your needs with expert guidance and competitive pricing. Contact us today to learn how our geotextile fabrics can enhance your next project and provide long-lasting benefits for your infrastructure needs.

Key Factors to Consider When Choosing Geotextile Fabrics for Your Project

Selecting the right geotextile fabric requires understanding key factors such as material type, permeability, and strength. Woven geotextiles offer superior reinforcement for heavy-load applications like road construction, while non-woven fabrics excel in drainage and filtration projects. Another important factor is UV resistance, which determines the longevity of the material in outdoor environments. Additionally, considering soil type and project conditions helps ensure optimal performance. High-quality geotextile fabrics prevent soil erosion, reduce maintenance costs, and enhance overall infrastructure durability. Whether for slope stabilization, landscaping, or flood control, using the correct geotextile ensures efficient water flow and soil retention. By evaluating load-bearing capacity, filtration needs, and environmental conditions, you can make an informed decision for long-term success. Investing in the right geotextile fabric not only improves construction efficiency but also contributes to sustainable and cost-effective project development.

[reasonsforhope]

"The coral reefs of south Sulawesi are some of the most diverse, colorful and vibrant in the world. At least, they used to be, until they were decimated by dynamite fishing in the 1990s.

As part of a team of coral reef ecologists based in Indonesia and the UK, we study the reefs around Pulau Bontosua, a small Indonesian island in south Sulawesi...

In many places around the world, damage like this might be described as irreparable. But at Pulau Bontosua, the story is different. Here, efforts by the Mars coral restoration program have brought back the coral and important ecosystem functions, as outlined by our new study, published in Current Biology. We found that within just four years, restored reefs grow at the same rate as nearby healthy reefs.

Speedy recovery

The transplanted corals grow remarkably quickly. Within a year, fragments have developed into proper colonies. After two years, they interlock branches with their neighbors. After just four years, they completely overgrow the reef star structures and restoration sites are barely distinguishable from nearby healthy reefs.

The combined growth of many corals generates a complex limestone (calcium carbonate) framework. This provides a habitat for marine life and protects nearby shorelines from storm damage by absorbing up to 97% of coastal wave energy.

We measured the overall growth of the reef framework by calculating its carbonate budget. That's the balance between limestone production (by calcifying corals and coralline algae) and erosion (by grazing sea urchins and fishes, for example). A healthy reef produces up to 20kg of reef structure per square meter per year, while a degraded reef is shrinking rather than growing as erosion exceeds limestone production. Therefore, overall reef growth gives an indication of reef health.

At Pulau Bontosua, our survey data shows that in the years following restoration, coral cover, coral colony sizes, and carbonate production rates tripled. Within four years, restored reefs were growing at the same speed as healthy reefs, and thereby provided the same important ecosystem functions...

Outcomes of any reef restoration project will depend on environmental conditions, natural coral larvae supply, restoration techniques and the effort invested in maintaining the project. This Indonesian project shows that when conditions are right and efforts are well placed, success is possible. Hopefully, this inspires further global efforts to restore functioning coral reefs and to recreate a climate in which they can thrive."

-via Phys.org, March 11, 2024

[ferretfyre]

Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role:

Is there a better description of a cube than that of its construction? There was a war on. And yet is my understanding that many of the sites of my projects have survived. They remain there still in the city. When the terrible recollections of what happened in Europe cease to humiliate us, I expect for them to serve instead as a political stimulus, sparking the upheavals that so frequently occur in the cycles of peoplehood. I already anticipate a communal rhetoric of anger and fear. A whole river of such frivolities may flow undammed. But my buildings were devised to endure such erosion of the Danube's shoreline.

Adrian Brody as László Tóth in The Brutalist (2024, dir. Brady Corbet)

[fuckyeahfluiddynamics]

Tracking Coastal Sediment Loss

Shorelines rely on an influx of sediment to counter what's lost to erosion by waves and currents. But tracking that sediment flux is challenging in coastal regions where salt, waves, and storms batter delicate instruments. (Image credit: NASA; research credit: W. Teng et al.; via Eos) Read the full article

[sokkaxmoon]

SALVAGE

-Part 1/2

The clock on the wall ticked steadily, filling the silence of your apartment. You stood in the kitchen, your hands gripping the edge of the counter as you stared blankly out the window. It had started raining a few hours ago, a steady, rhythmic downpour that matched the heaviness in your chest. The city outside was shrouded in mist, and the once vibrant skyline now felt distant, cold.

Just like your marriage.

It wasn’t sudden, not really. The distance had been creeping in slowly, like the slow erosion of a shoreline by the sea. At first, it was subtle—missed dinners, late-night missions, Gojo’s ever-present responsibilities as the strongest sorcerer in the world. You had understood. His duty was important, the weight of the world often resting on his shoulders. But over time, it became more than just his duties. It became his absence. Even when he was home, it felt like he was a million miles away.

You sighed, running a hand through your hair. The apartment was too quiet, too empty, even though he was due back any minute. But you weren’t sure if it even mattered anymore. When he came home, there would be no real conversation, no warmth. Just the same strained pleasantries you had fallen into recently.

You loved Gojo, you always would. But love wasn’t enough anymore. Not when it felt like you were living parallel lives, constantly crossing paths but never really touching.

The sound of the front door opening snapped you out of your thoughts. You straightened, taking a deep breath as you heard the familiar sound of his shoes being kicked off, the rustle of his jacket being tossed carelessly onto the couch. For a moment, you stood frozen, trying to summon the courage for what you knew had to happen.

"Hey," Gojo called out from the entryway, his voice as casual as ever, like it was any other night. “You up?”

“I’m here,” you responded, your voice quieter than usual. You turned to face him as he walked into the kitchen, his tall frame filling the space as he casually leaned against the doorframe, his hands in his pockets. His signature blindfold was absent, his sharp blue eyes scanning you with a flicker of curiosity.

Gojo smiled, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “Missed you today. How was your day?”

You blinked, surprised by the casual attempt at normalcy. There was something almost detached about the way he asked, as if he was going through the motions without really caring about the answer. You knew he was tired, stressed, but the distance in his tone only made the ache in your chest worse.

“It was fine,” you replied, your voice barely above a whisper. You couldn’t look at him, not yet. Instead, you focused on the floor, your heart pounding in your chest as you gathered the courage to say what you had been rehearsing in your mind for weeks now.

Gojo seemed to sense the tension, his smile fading slightly as he took a step closer. “You okay? You seem… off.”

You swallowed hard, finally lifting your gaze to meet his. The concern in his eyes was real, but it felt distant, as if he didn’t fully grasp the weight of what was about to happen. You had always been able to read him like a book, but now, he felt like a stranger.

“I need to talk to you, Satoru,” you said softly, your voice trembling despite your best efforts to stay calm.

His expression shifted slightly, a hint of apprehension flickering across his face. “Talk to me? What’s wrong?” He crossed his arms, his usual confident demeanor slipping just a little. “Did something happen?”

You shook your head, biting your lip to keep your emotions in check. “No… nothing happened. Not today, anyway.” You took a deep breath, your hands trembling as you finally said the words you had been dreading. “I… I want a divorce.”

The room seemed to freeze, the air between you two thick with tension. Gojo stared at you, the words hanging in the air like a curse. For a moment, he didn’t move, didn’t blink, as if he hadn’t fully processed what you had just said.

“What?” His voice was low, almost a whisper, and there was a flicker of something in his eyes—confusion, disbelief, maybe even hurt. “What did you just say?”

“I want a divorce,” you repeated, this time more firmly, though your heart was pounding so loudly in your chest you wondered if he could hear it. “This… this isn’t working anymore, Satoru. We’re not working anymore.”

His brows furrowed, and he took a step toward you, his posture tense. “You’re kidding, right? This is some kind of joke?”

You shook your head, feeling the tears begin to well up in your eyes. “No, Satoru. I’m not joking. I can’t… I can’t keep doing this. We’re so distant, so—” Your voice cracked, and you wiped at your eyes angrily. “I feel like I’ve lost you, like I’m just another part of your life that you can’t make time for anymore.”

Gojo’s eyes widened, the shock in his expression quickly turning into frustration. “That’s not true! I’m here, aren’t I? I’ve always been here.”

“Physically, yes,” you said, your voice rising as your emotions bubbled to the surface. “But emotionally? No. You’re always somewhere else, always off fighting, training, dealing with things I’ll never fully understand. And I get it, I do. You’re the strongest, Satoru. But you’re also my husband, and I can’t remember the last time you looked at me like I mattered.”

His mouth opened and closed, as if he wanted to argue but couldn’t find the words. You could see the panic starting to creep into his eyes, a rare crack in his otherwise confident façade.

“I love you,” he said, his voice softer now, almost pleading. “I’ve always loved you.”

“I know,” you whispered, your tears flowing freely now. “And I love you too. But love isn’t enough when we’re living like strangers, when every day I wonder if I’m even part of your life anymore.”

Gojo took a deep breath, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. “You’re part of my life, all right? I know I’ve been distant, but it’s because I’m trying to protect you. I’m trying to keep you safe.”

“I don’t want just safety, Satoru,” you said, your voice breaking. “I want you. I want a marriage where we actually talk, where we laugh, where we support each other. But instead, I feel like I’m losing you to the world, to your duty, to everything but us.”

His jaw tightened, and for a moment, he was silent. You could see the turmoil in his eyes, the battle between his responsibilities as the strongest sorcerer and his role as your husband. But you knew that battle had already been lost.

“I didn’t realize…” he murmured, his voice barely audible. “I didn’t know you felt this way.”

You let out a bitter laugh, shaking your head. “How could you? You’re never here long enough to notice.”

The silence that followed was deafening, the weight of your words settling heavily in the space between you. Gojo stared at you, his expression a mixture of shock and pain, but there was something else there too—acceptance. He had always been smart, always quick to understand the gravity of a situation. And now, you could see that he understood.

He stepped closer, his hand reaching out as if to touch you, but he stopped himself, his arm falling limply to his side. “Is this… really what you want?”

You hesitated, your heart aching as you looked into his eyes—those beautiful, icy blue eyes that had once been your whole world. You didn’t want this, not really. But you couldn’t keep living like this either.

“Yes,” you whispered, the word barely escaping your lips.

Gojo’s face fell, and for the first time since you had known him, you saw real vulnerability in his eyes. He nodded slowly, taking a step back. “If that’s what you want,” he said, his voice strained, “then… I won’t fight you.”

You closed your eyes, letting out a shaky breath as the reality of the situation settled in. This was the end. The love you shared, the memories, the life you had built together—it was all slipping away.

But as much as it hurt, you knew it was the right thing to do.

You had to let go.

And so did he.

It had been a few months since that night—the night you had asked Gojo for a divorce. The apartment felt emptier now, not just because he had moved out, but because it was as if all the warmth had drained from the space along with him. You had tried to get used to the silence, to the absence of his presence. But even as the days passed, something inside you felt off. You had written it off as stress, as the emotional weight of the separation weighing on your body.

But it wasn’t just that. There were other signs you couldn’t ignore.

You had been feeling exhausted lately—more than usual. You had chalked it up to the emotional toll, to sleepless nights spent staring at the ceiling, thinking about everything that had gone wrong. But when you found yourself feeling nauseous almost every morning, the pieces started to come together in a way that made your stomach twist—not just from the sickness, but from fear.

You stared at the small box on the counter, the pregnancy test sitting beside it. Your hands trembled as you picked it up, your heart pounding so loudly you could barely think straight.

No. This couldn’t be happening. Not now. Not after everything.

You had been careful—both of you had. You had tried to avoid any more complications in your life, especially with the growing distance in your marriage. But here you were, staring at the tiny plus sign on the test.

Pregnant.

Your breath hitched as you sank down onto the bathroom floor, the reality of the situation crashing over you like a tidal wave. How could this be happening now? You were in the middle of ending your marriage, trying to move on from Gojo, trying to build some semblance of a life without him. And now, you were pregnant with his child.

The tears came before you could stop them. You had spent weeks trying to be strong, trying to tell yourself that you were doing the right thing by asking for a divorce. But this? This was something else entirely. This was a life growing inside you, a life that would tie you to Gojo forever, no matter how far apart you were.

Your mind raced, a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions that you couldn’t quite grasp. What would he say? What would he do? The Gojo you knew, or at least the Gojo you had known, would be protective, would want to be involved, would drop everything for you if he knew you were carrying his child. But the Gojo you had drifted apart from—the one who was more focused on saving the world than saving your marriage—he felt like a stranger now.

Did you even want to tell him? Could you? Would it change anything? Or would it just complicate things even further?

You pulled your knees to your chest, wrapping your arms around them as the tears continued to fall. The confusion, the fear, the overwhelming sense of uncertainty—it was all too much.

Days passed, and you still hadn’t said anything. You hadn’t told anyone—not Gojo, not your friends, not even yourself, really. You tried to keep it buried deep inside, as if pretending it wasn’t real would make the problem go away. But your body wasn’t letting you ignore it anymore. The nausea in the mornings, the fatigue, the changes you could already feel starting to take hold… it was real. And you couldn’t hide from it forever.

You knew you had to tell him. As much as you wanted to avoid it, as much as you wanted to try and handle it on your own, it wasn’t fair. Not to him, and definitely not to the child growing inside you.

So you did the one thing you had been dreading: you picked up the phone and called him.

It rang a few times before he answered. His voice was familiar, warm even, and for a second, you almost forgot the distance between you. Almost.

“Hey,” Gojo said on the other end of the line, his tone light but laced with something else—something cautious. “What’s up?”

You took a deep breath, your heart racing as you tried to find the right words. “Satoru, I need to talk to you. It’s… important.”

There was a pause, and you could hear the shift in his demeanor immediately. “Important? Are you okay?” His voice was sharper now, concerned, and you could practically picture the way his eyes would narrow, his protective instincts kicking in.

“I’m fine,” you said quickly, though you weren’t sure if that was entirely true. “But… can you come over? I need to tell you something in person.”

Another pause. You could tell he was trying to figure out what was going on, his mind already spinning a thousand possibilities. “Yeah, of course. I’ll be there in ten.”

You hung up before he could ask any more questions, your stomach twisting with anxiety. The next ten minutes felt like an eternity, each second dragging by as you paced around the apartment, trying to prepare yourself for the conversation that was about to happen.

When Gojo finally arrived, it felt like time had sped up again. He knocked lightly before letting himself in, his eyes immediately scanning the room, searching for you. When he saw you standing there, arms crossed, face pale with anxiety, his brows furrowed in concern.

“Hey,” he said softly, closing the door behind him. “What’s going on? You’re scaring me.”

You swallowed hard, trying to gather the strength to say the words. But when you met his eyes—those piercing blue eyes that had once made you feel so safe—everything came rushing out in a single breath.

“I’m pregnant.”

The words seemed to hang in the air, suspended between you. For a moment, Gojo just stared at you, his expression unreadable. You could see the gears turning in his head, processing what you had just said, trying to make sense of it.

“Pregnant?” he repeated, his voice barely above a whisper. “You’re… pregnant?”

You nodded, unable to speak as the tears started to well up in your eyes again. His reaction was impossible to read. He wasn’t angry, he wasn’t panicked, but he wasn’t exactly… overjoyed either. He just stood there, staring at you, as if trying to figure out what to do next.

“Are you sure?” he asked quietly, his voice thick with emotion.

“I’m sure,” you whispered, your hands trembling as you wrapped your arms around yourself. “I’ve taken multiple tests.”

Gojo ran a hand through his hair, taking a step back as he let out a shaky breath. “I— I don’t know what to say.”

“I didn’t want to tell you,” you admitted, your voice breaking. “I didn’t want to make things harder than they already are. But… I thought you had a right to know.”

He looked at you then, really looked at you, and for the first time in a long while, you saw something familiar in his eyes. Not the confident, cocky Gojo that everyone else saw, but the Satoru who loved you, the man who had once been your partner in everything.

“I—” Gojo started, but his voice cracked, and he had to pause, gathering himself. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know we’d end up here. I didn’t… I didn’t know.”

Neither did you. Neither of you had anticipated this, not after everything that had happened between you. But now, here you were, standing at the edge of a precipice, unsure of where the next step would lead.

Gojo took a step closer, his eyes never leaving yours. “I know we’re not… what we used to be. And I know I’ve hurt you. But I don’t want to lose this—us. Not now, not when there’s something more at stake.”

You wiped at your eyes, feeling the weight of his words settle heavily in your chest. “I don’t know what to do, Satoru. I don’t know if this changes anything.”

“It changes everything,” he said, his voice firm but gentle. “We’re having a baby. Our baby. And I’m not going to walk away from that. I’ll be here, no matter what happens between us.”

You looked at him, searching for some kind of reassurance, something to hold onto in the chaos of your emotions. And for the first time in what felt like forever, you saw a glimmer of the man you had fallen in love with—the man who had once promised to always be by your side.

Maybe this wasn’t the end, after all.

Maybe it was the beginning of something new.

(Guyssss, this has been on repeat and I feel like it lowkey goes with this story🤷‍♀️ you should listen to it!! Anyways hope you enjoyed, part 2 coming soon…)

[cleoselene]

Sharing this on behalf of a Marine Biologist friend, not my words.

Tumblr loves sea creatures, and this is important. Have a cool pic of an octopus before digging into this big post from someone who is in the trenches (but not the really deep ones like the Mariana):

"Hi all! I have a personal request for everyone!

I need you to write a letter/email. Please write your congressional representative in support of the value that your state (or state(s) you love) Sea Grant Program means to you personally. Please send a copy of your email/letter to your state Sea Grant director as well. I can tell you for a fact that these messages are critically important and do in fact make a difference.

If you do not want to write your representatives, please still write your Sea Grant directors.

Unsure about what/who the Sea Grant Programs are? The Sea Grant Programs were created specifically to connect science between local, state, and national needs. Sea Grants make sure up-to-date science is informing decisions made in our home states and regions. Each of the State programs conducts marine and coastal research, education, and outreach tailored to their regional needs. If you’ve ever been to the beach and seen rip current education signs, seen disaster readiness material, enjoyed a coastal natural area, enjoyed fishing, ate local seafood, have a military installation near you, and much more, you’ve been positively impacted by your state’s Sea Grant Program.

Economic Benefits: Sea Grant programs provide direct economic benefits contributing to job creation, industry resilience, and sustainable economic growth.

• Works with local businesses, tourism operators, and maritime industries to enhance profitability and ensure longevity of businesses.

• Supports jobs in fisheries, marine engineering, coastal construction, and tourism through workforce development, training programs, and fellowships.

• Provides technical assistance to commercial fishers, shipbuilders, and port workers, including development of new and innovative technology that improves entire industries.

Fisheries & Aquaculture: Sea Grant programs support seafood production and sustainable fisheries management to ensure the health of marine ecosystems and economies.

• Offers training on best practices for commercial and recreational fishers.

• Helps reduce bycatch and overfishing through gear modifications and conservation efforts.

• Advances shellfish farming techniques (e.g., oysters, mussels, clams) to boost seafood production while improving water quality.

• Provides resources to help small-scale aquaculture businesses thrive.

• Monitors seafood safety and waterborne diseases to protect public health.

• Conducts research on invasive species like zebra mussels, lionfish, and green crabs; and, develops early detection and removal strategies to prevent ecological and economic harm.

Public Safety & Community Resilience: Coastal communities face unique challenges, from hurricanes and flooding to rising sea levels and water pollution. Sea Grant programs work to keep people safe through risk mitigation, education, and emergency preparedness.

• Helps communities create hurricane evacuation plans and build disaster-resilient infrastructure.

• Provides flood mapping and modeling to predict storm surges and coastal erosion.

• Develops tools like real-time weather alerts and emergency response strategies.

• Monitors pollution levels in oceans, rivers, and lakes to ensure safe drinking water.

• Identifies and mitigates harmful algal blooms (like red tide) that threaten human and marine life.

• Leads efforts to reduce plastic pollution in oceans, including microplastics research.

• Runs community beach cleanups and educational programs on waste reduction.

• Helps coastal communities upgrade ports, harbors, and public infrastructure to withstand extreme weather.

• Promotes nature-based solutions (e.g., living shorelines) to prevent coastal erosion and property damage.

• Partners with local governments to design smarter zoning laws for flood-prone areas.

Military Readiness & National Security: Sea Grant programs help ensure the safety and effectiveness of naval operations, coastal military installations, and maritime security.

Protecting Naval Bases & Infrastructure

• Assists military installations in climate resilience planning to prepare for sea-level rise and extreme weather.

• Works on coastal erosion control to protect bases and training grounds.

• Supports advancements in sonar, remote sensing, and underwater drones for naval and marine research.

• Provides oceanographic data crucial for submarine navigation and surveillance.

Education & Workforce Development: Sea Grant invests in the next generation of scientists, engineers, and marine professionals.

• Supports STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education focused on marine science.

• Provides internships and fellowships for students pursuing marine research careers.

• Runs public engagement programs to promote environmental stewardship.

• Helps local governments understand disaster preparedness, flood management, and coastal zoning laws.

State & Regional Sea Grant Programs

East Coast and Caribbean

• Connecticut Sea Grant – University of Connecticut, Director: Sylvain De Guise (sylvain.deguise@uconn.edu)

• Delaware Sea Grant – University of Delaware Director: Joanna York (jyork@udel.edu)

• Georgia Sea Grant Director: Mark Risse (mrisse@uga.edu)

• Maine Sea Grant – University of Maine, Director: Gayle Zydlewski (gayle.zydlewski@maine.edu)

• Maryland Sea Grant – University of Maryland Director: Fredrika Moser (moser@mdsg.umd.edu)

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sea Grant – Director: Michael Triantafyllou (mt@mit.edu)

• (Massachusetts) Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute Sea Grant – Director: Matthew Charette (mcharette@whoi.edu)

• New Hampshire Sea Grant – University of New Hampshire Director: Erik Chapman (erik.chapman@unh.edu)

• New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium

• New York Sea Grant – Cornell University & SUNY Director: Rebecca Shuford (rebecca.shuford@stonybrook.edu)

• North Carolina Sea Grant – NC State University Director: Susan White (snwhite3@ncsu.edu)

• Pennsylvania Sea Grant – Director: Sarah Whitney (swhitney@psu.edu)

• Puerto Rico Sea Grant – Director: Ruperto Chaparro Serrano (ruperto.chaparro@upr.edu)

• Rhode Island Sea Grant – University of Rhode Island Director: Tracey Dalton (dalton@uri.edu)

• South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium Director: Susan Lovelace (Susan.Lovelace@scseagrant.org)

• Virginia Sea Grant – Virginia Institute of Marine Science Director: Troy Hartley (thartley@vims.edu)

Great Lakes Region

• Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant – University of Illinois & Purdue University Director: Tomas Höök (thook@purdue.edu)

• Michigan Sea Grant – University of Michigan & Michigan State University Director: Silvia Newell (senewell@umich.edu)

• Minnesota Sea Grant – University of Minnesota Director: John Downing (downing@d.umn.edu)

• New York Sea Grant – Cornell University & SUNY Director: Rebecca Shuford (rebecca.shuford@stonybrook.edu)

• Ohio Sea Grant – Ohio State University Director: Christopher Winslow (winslow.33@osu.edu)

• Pennsylvania Sea Grant – Director: Sarah Whitney (swhitney@psu.edu)

• Wisconsin Sea Grant – University of Wisconsin Director: Christy Remucal (Interim Director) (remucal@wisc.edu)

Gulf of Mexico

• Florida Sea Grant – University of Florida Director: Sherry Larkin (slarkin@ufl.edu)

• Louisiana Sea Grant – Louisiana State University Director: Julie Lively (julieann@lsu.edu)

• Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium Director: LaDon Swann (ladon.swann@usm.edu)

• Texas Sea Grant – Texas A&M University Interim Director: Laura Picariello (lpicariello@tamu.edu)

West Coast and Pacific

• California Sea Grant – Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego Director: Shauna Oh (caseagrant@ucsd.edu)

• University of Southern California Sea Grant – Director: Karla Heidelberg (kheidelb@usc.edu)

• Oregon Sea Grant – Oregon State University Director: Karina Nielsen (karina.nielsen@oregonstate.edu)

• Washington Sea Grant – University of Washington Director: Kate Litle (Interim Director) (kalitle@uw.edu)

• Alaska Sea Grant – University of Alaska Fairbanks Director: Ginny Eckert (ginny.eckert@alaska.edu)

• Hawai‘i Sea Grant – University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Director: Darren Lerner (lerner@hawaii.edu)

• Guam Sea Grant – University of Guam Director: Austin Shelton (shelton@uog.edu)

Please, if you love the sea critters, do this!! You know this website owes so much to the crabs.

[timkarr]

Unsettling Sound The Puget Sound is an unsettled sea that lies above the tectonically active western edge of the North American Plate. This large body of frigid water is separated from the Pacific Ocean by the Olympic Mountains to its west and the Cascades to its east. Glaciers crowded into the Sound during the last ice age, advancing from the north. When they retreated some 13,000 years ago they left behind deep deposits of interglacial sediment. These sand and clay remnants, in turn, were carved by frequent rain, sea and wind erosion to form high, unstable coastal bluffs, which were soon blanketed by dense evergreen overgrowths of cedar, hemlock and fir, and undergrowths of alder, blackberry and fern. As erosion progresses this cover slides from high bluffs in slow cascades that often take decades to complete from hilltop to shore. The process is sped up when the northwest rains are heaviest. Landslides can carry trees and their understory to the beach in an instant. Once arrived on the shore, the upended forest enters the marine ecosystem, where it functions as nutrient, shelter and barrier. In the last centuries, human structures have been added to this tumult. Houses perched on bluffs afford spectacular views and command high prices, but they face the disturbing prospect of being splayed across the beach following a prolonged downpour. Slides in the Northwest earn frequent headlines, and were even the subject of a popular book and film set on the slopes of Queen Anne Hill. Much hilltop construction in the area occurs with little immediate awareness of the role erosion plays in maintaining both the geological and biological integrity of the Sound. A common response to the inevitable is to line the bank with black basaltic stones quarried from ancient lava beds. The proliferation of these bulkheads throughout the Puget Sound has resulted in a phenomenon called “shoreline hardening.” According to some government statistics, approximately 30 percent of the Sound’s shoreline is now armored with stone and concrete reinforcements. This happened along the beach where my family has lived for nearly a century. in the 1970s and 80s, property owners piled stone bulkheads to shore up against sliding —attempting to fix in time something that’s always in flux. The results of our obstinance has been devastating. Within years this beach began to lose much of its value. As a child, I can remember clawing a hundred Native Littlenecks from the sand and clay beneath beach rocks. We let these clams sit for a couple of hours in a bucket of seawater. My grandparents taught us to sprinkle in cornmeal so they could spit out stomach sand as they fed. Once full, they were transferred into a steaming pot where they open latticed shells to offer up their tenderness. Today I’m lucky if I find a single Littleneck after 30 minutes of raking. When I visit the Sound, I think of Sue and Payne, who were privileged to live on this shore and loved what it could yield to any of their grandchildren willing to put some time into it. They left us more than 20 years ago, and a new generation of family has built modern homes on the foundations of those Sue and Payne left behind. In time, ownership may be handed to successive generations, or we might drift away, passing the beachfront to someone with no memory of what it meant to a family that gathered there. And while the Sound may retain much of its scenic beauty, this too is fleeting. The tides will rise and fall revealing stretches of rocks and sand, again and again, and still something will always remain unsettled until it’s gone.

[mostlythemarsh]

Shoreline Erosion

[deepdarkdelights]

really excited to see you might write a hunger games au but it got me curious that you chose namjoon for it.. what made you choose him? i thought you might end up writing about jk

but i'll gobble up anything you post!! thanks

THE HUNGER GAMES AU - PREVIEW

Yeah, honestly I don't have much written and I'm not sure if I will ever pick it up again so I I'll just post everything right here below the cut off - and the reason I was leaning to Namjoon was because there is already a really amazing JK THG fic on here called Quarter Quell - I want to avoid drawing inspiration from that and try and go my own way!

Anyway - Here is what I have:

When your name was called, it was the furthest you felt from reality. 

Your ears rang like a shotgun had just gone off beside them, your fingers trembled, and you could feel a nervous sweat beginning to prick at the back of your neck. You could feel your district’s eyes on you, their gaze digging into your flesh only made the gravity of your situation all the more real. What had once been your worst nightmare, had suddenly become your reality. 

You had managed to escape the reaping for five years in a row, but each year had only worsened your chances in tandem with the teserae you had continued to take out in exchange for more slips of paper with your name hastily scrawled across them. You had thought it was worth the risk, after all you knew more people your age who had taken out twice, even thrice the amount that you had. 

No one ever thought that it would be them. Sure you and the rest of the children in the district knew what you were signing up for, there was always the risk of being reaped. But the idea that it could actually be you had never been rooted in fact. But the idea that it couldn’t happen to you was dangerous and look where it had gotten you now. 

Right here, right now, the events of that morning couldn’t have felt farther away. In all honesty, it felt like a completely different time and place now that you were faced with the utmost certainty that you would be dead within the next three days. 

It shouldn’t have been you, but the odds had not been in your favor. 

~~~~~~~ 6 Hours Earlier 

You watched as shallow waves lapped over your feet, rushing in and receding out in a familiar, calming rhythm. The shoreline was decorated with pebbles that had been there longer than you had, smoothed over from years of erosion. And, not much farther away, you could see a rocky cliff face decorated with thick greenery and towering trees, the very beginning of district 7. 

This was not an unfamiliar practice for yourself, every year on the morning of the reaping you would rise early and make your escape to one of the many beaches. Although this one was your favorite - small, secluded, and never patrolled by the district's peace keepers. Over the course of your life, your father, mother, and yourself had most certainly overfished that small beach in times of hunger and need. Now, it was nothing more than a pretty sight and a calming spot. 

District 4 was often thought to be one of the lucky districts, afterall, the closer you are to the capitol the better off you were supposed to be. There were several problems with that idea. 

District 4 supplied the capitol with most of its expensive and sought after foods - mainly seafood. And, due to the gluttony of the capitol, the demand was high and the supply was becoming smaller and smaller each year. 

It was easier for the southern portion of your district. There it was often sunny and warm, the weather favorable to the fisherman which oftentimes filled their pockets. The further to the north you went in district 4, the worse it became. It was colder there, the weather oftentimes drizzly and gloomy as well as unpredictable - sending the sea into violent churns that capsized boats. It was much harder in the north, something that the south of district 4 had no problem degrading the north for. 

Even now in the first week of July the sky rumbled with the warnings of oncoming thunder and the sea turned a menacing gray. Your stomach groaned in response. 

That was another sad truth of the north of district 4, there were a fair share of people who went hungry despite the bounty of the sea being mere feet away. Recreational fishing was banned in the north. Here, it was a job and it was only to be done to provide for the capitol - not your own dinner table. 

There was a horrific memory that was seared into your brain as a child. The sight of a mother and her two children dragging a net full of a catch to shore only to be apprehended by peacekeepers, tied to posts, and flogged for hours on end. Both mother and children. That had been enough to scare both your parents and yourself away from illegally fishing for a few months. 

There were slums in every district, and that was where you would reside. You were by no means district 12 who had been dealt the worst hand in all of Panem, but you were still quite unlucky. 

But that day, of all days, you had hoped otherwise. And, you were almost convinced. 

The next wave of warm water had carried a much stronger current and with it came an oyster, one you carefully examined in between calloused fingers before eagerly and violenting shucking it open. Inside lay another commodity of your district: pearls. 

This one was predominantly white with a soft pink flush around its curves. You had seen your fair share of them in your time, but you had never been permitted to keep one. But this one you desired to keep so desperately. And so you tucked it into your pocket and retreated from the water. 

Pearls were supposed to symbolize many things but mainly they were for luck and for protection. 

You later wondered if your violent murder to steal that symbol of luck was what had been your downfall. If you had not plundered the creature, would you still have been reaped and sent off to your death in turn? 

There was no telling that for certain but there was one thing that you were sure of. The odds had been stacked against you from the very beginning. In reality, it didn’t matter what you had done because there was no going back and changing it. 

You were the female tribute from District 4 for the 94th annual Hunger Games. 

[promptsforpoemproseandplay]

Bodies of Water

Let’s face it, there’s a lot of words for different bodies of water. Lakes, reefs, gulfs, all that jazz. Someone should clear up the differences! There’s a post on Paths similar to this.

So, here's a totally not comprehensive guide to

✨Bodies of Water✨!

Bodies of Water

backwater: water held or forced back, as by a dam, flood, or tide

bayou: any of various other often boggy, sluggish, stagnant, slow-moving or still bodies of water

bay: a body of water forming an indentation of the shoreline, larger than a cove but smaller than a gulf

brook: a small, natural stream of water

canal: a long narrow arm of the sea penetrating far inland

channel: a length of water wider than a strait, joining two larger areas of water

creek: a stream smaller than a river, sometimes in a marsh

cove: a small indentation in the shoreline of a sea

estuary: that part of the mouth or lower course of a river in which the river's current meets the sea's tide

fjord: a long, narrow arm of the sea bordered by steep cliffs: usually formed by glacial erosion

gorge: a chasm, especially one through which a stream runs

gulf: a portion of an ocean or sea partly enclosed by land

inlet: an indentation of a shoreline, usually long and narrow

lagoon: an area of shallow water separated from the sea by low sandy dunes

lake: a body of fresh or saltwater of considerable size, surrounded by land

pond: a body of water smaller than a lake

ria: a long, narrow inlet of a river that gradually decreases in depth from mouth to head

rill: between a rivulet and brook

river: a natural stream of water of fairly large size flowing in a definite course

rivulet: between a river and a stream

run: located near a stream or other small body of water

runnel: a small brook

spring: a natural pool or stream of water coming up from the earth

sound: a narrow stretch of water forming connecting two wider areas of water that are not the same

strait: a narrow passage of water connecting two other large areas of water

stream: a body of water flowing in a channel or watercourse

sump: a pit, well, or the like in which water or other liquid is collected

torrent: a stream of water flowing with great rapidity and violence

whirlpool: water in swift, circular motion, as that produced by the meeting of opposing currents, often causing a downward spiralling action

As I said last time, I’m sure there’s a couple of words I missed here and there, but these are the majority of words you will need. Happy writing!

~Nyx

[legacygirlingreen]

What If… || ClonexOCWeek2025

Rex & Mae || Wolffe & Perdita || Tech & Marina

Author’s Note: Hi friends! For day 6 of @clonexocweek I thought I’d better convey some of the things I associate with my OC’s and their copy/paste men… so I had fun with a little social media aesthetic prompt! Below you will find one for each character, as well as a little glance at how I see each couple as a unit visually speaking. So for “what if…” it’s “what if they were a color (for example). Anywho, this was a prompt more to show how I see these characters and help people feel as connected to them as I do. Reminder this all exists within my friend @leenathegreengirl ‘s AU! All art of my oc's is by her!

Pairings: Captain Rex x OC Mae Killough | Commander Wolffe x OC Perdita Halle | Tech x OC Marina

Masterlist

Animal

Lion: Rex is fierce, he is a bold protector and he is powerful. He works best by leading others. But at his core, he truly is a wonderful soldier.

Red Fox: Foxes are typically known for and associated with resourcefulness, cunningness and cleverness. They often have a shy but playful disposition. Mae has had to rely on herself for so long, that her ability to adapt to survive through her intelligence makes her more aligned with a Fox than just the similar color of their hair/fur…

Place

Mountainous Body of Water: Usually bodies of water near mountains are carved out by glacier activity. Strong erosions over time that create a pristine and enriching space. Rex has seen many things through his life, but he is resilient.

Misty Mountains: Mae has a tumultuous past and her homeworld replicates that of our world’s climates like Scotland or Ireland. The lack of sunlight mixing with the peaks to some would seem depressing, but to others the calm they bring is aligned with her more subdued nature of being - which I’d say is a less flashy kind of beauty.

Plant

Succulent: Succulents are desert plants, that learn to survive on little resources. They tend to weather lots of mistreatment and still maintain their ability to persevere. Rex has been through much in his life, and he continues to keep fighting the good fight.

English Ivy: This vine plant grows very quickly, can grow virtually anywhere and is known to help remove toxins from the spaces they occupy. Mae is quick to adapt, keep her morals aligned despite her upbringing with a crime family, and she left upon her first chance at freedom.

Character

Li Shang: He is a leader. He’s a strong warrior. He tends to be more reserved, maintaining what he can on his own. Initially he is by the book and has to learn to adapt. That sounds an awful lot like Rex to me… we will gloss over Li Shang’s initial sexism though…

Anna: The Princess can be quite awkward. She is also optimistic, caring and free-spirited. I honestly do see more of Anna’s tendency to be a bit clumsy aligning well with Mae. Early on I do think that Mae was a bit sheltered from real life, kept away from some of her siblings and that aligns a lot with Anna’s growth from willing to marry the first man she met to being Queen of the kingdom. (With a handsome blond near her side!)

Season

Summer: Summer is warm. It’s bright. It is the peak of likelihood. It’s when we are closest to the sun. The days are longer. Rex has a lot of light to him so often forgotten by his struggles. He was born to be absorbing the suns rays with a drink in his hand.

Autumn: A brisk chill in the air leads to the heartiness that goes on in one’s home in fall. I always have seen Mae as a large pot of soup with a fireplace as the leaves outside begin to fall.

Hobby

Surfing: One of the first times Rex directly interacted with Mae was on one of her rare days off. She grew up in a large mansion by the sea, but the kind of cold, rocky shorelines were not build for surfing. When she moved to Pabu, her appreciation for the calm that life by the water increased, and the locals showed her how to appreciate them in a harmonizing way. When she taught Rex, he found the physicality enjoyable, and the relaxation it provided through bonding with the doctor to be the kind of reprieve he needed. With time, her favorite hobby, became a pastime of his as well

Color

Blue: 501 Blue does go so well to describe Rex. Loyalty, honor, stability, and calm describe him so well, but at this point the shade is so closely associated with the captain, I’d be remiss not the say Blue.

Forest Green: While Mae frequently dons soft blue, I think green fits her much more. Green is a nurturing color, associated with nature, and one’s ability to adapt. It’s a color that subconsciously relaxes. Her home being a safe haven for many is more attuned to this shade.

Crystal/Stone/Gem

Sea Glass: Given the narrative connections run so deep here, I won’t elaborate as I already have in “Something About You”, but Rex is much alike the kind of beauty that comes from transformation through hardship.

Pearls: Mae used an alias while she initially was working for the Republic Aid Relief - another translation or meaning of her name - Pearl. Pearls are associated with luxury but also new beginnings. There’s a Devine feminine energy of something that comes from the sea and has the subdued brilliance of pearls.

Food

Pot Roast: Rex just seems like the kind of man who wants to come home to a hearty, slow cooked meal that’s rich and warms the soul

Waffles: They are sweet, and they are compartmentalized. Mae, while a kind person, has her quirks. She likes to sort things out on her own.

Together, they are both a mix of very striking differences on the outside, but the kind of people they are - the kind that would give you clothes off their back or work so hard to help those in need since it’s the right thing to do - make Mae and Rex one of my favorite couples to write for. She isn’t a gun wielding badass, but she’s a spitfire. She’s bold when she needs to be. She’s refreshingly honest. The two have a similar mind of putting others first, themselves second. Finding someone like that, helps you maintain a love in which you care for the other person’s needs in a beautiful and calm light. Mae brings Rex stability. He brings her security. With that comes smiles into cups of caf and the jovial times of those who began as friends first. His appreciation for her endearing sweetness and respect for her strength hopefully will allow these two to survive virtually whatever throws their way. I see their dynamic to be one that is timeless, and soft.

Read their stories here:

Key: Flashback ★

Introduction : "Spitfire" | 4.9 (SFW) | collab for @clonexocweek day 1! ★ 1.Peace | 6.5 (SFW) | Ao3 Link 2. Something About You | 8.8k (SFW) | Ao3 Link \_> "Tag" | 5.9k (SFW) | collab for @clonexocweek day 2! \_> "A Quiet Hum" | 1k (SFW) | Tunesgiving Event \_> Life Day 2025 Event: "Operation Life Day" | Ao3 Link(Fanart & Story) 3. Touching Revelations | 5.5k (NSFW)

Animal

Wolf: I mean. I don’t feel the need to explain this one…

Arctic Fox: solidarity creatures, raised in harsh climates that still - despite all odds - are loving and playful. Monogamous, and maintaining loyalty to one mating partner for life, they are willing to cross the tundra for the one they love. Perdita’s time with the Jedi created a solidarity which she has to learn to overcome, but the loyalty she feels towards Wolffe is finally bringing out the more playful and inquisitive side of her that shows there’s so much more to life than the Jedi Order she may have been neglecting…

Place

Open spaces under a night sky: Wolffe has a stillness about him. Don’t assume it makes him weak, but he has a nature that seems just on the outskirts of things. The stillness of night is something that he often feels connected to. Especially given his life almost ended in an escape pod, adrift amongst the stars. The ability to feel the ground below, seeing them from a distance, is where he feels the most at peace.

Caves: Growing up under the Quarzite surface, in the intricate system of caves, Perdita has many aspects associated with her people. Some may find the hollowed out spaces to be eerie, vacant, but with them comes security and a sense of protection.

Plant

Pine trees: Woody, strong and also… comforting. Pines have many associations of tradition and the warmth that accompanies celebrations of the winter. Wolffe has a traditional undertone to him that feels aligned with the strength and comfort of a pine.

(Redacted) Russian Purple Variation: So, keep with me… but a certain substance often used recreationally for health benefits definitely aligns with the more odd aspects of the Jedi, and their tendency to prioritize meditation and connecting to the force… as for the Russian purple variation of this plant… it is grown in HARSH climates, just like the environment Perdita came from.

Character

The Winter Soldier: Left under mind control at the hand of a regime that saw him as a tool not a person? Check. A badass with a cybernetic element? Check. Associations with Wolf (later the White Wolf)? Need I say more?

Daenerys: Both Perdita and Daenerys were the victims of situation, where their power was often wielding without their consent or against them. They are both inquisitive, but also have a vengeful streak. The more Perdita becomes distant from the Jedi, the more she is willing to see how wrong they are. But, unlike Daenerys she learns to confront it and accept it. Calm, levelheaded and regal these women both have a grace about them.

Season

Winter: Both Wolffe and Perdita have a coldness about them that radiates with winter. Perdita, from repressing emotion so long, and Wolffe with his regrets and rigid soldier tendencies.

Hobby

Music: With time, I see Wolffe appreciating music. Perhaps a quiet melody played only for himself, but the dedication to learn an instrument seems like something he’d do in private.

Strategy Games: At the temple, Perdita often excelled with logical games that related on strategy. I think this ability to shift things around her through intuition is something she continues to enjoy

Color

Grey : His color during the war, and he still feels the pull to associate with it now, Wolffe enjoys the tranquility associated with the color. Although, now with the addition of Perdita to his life, he prefers the mixing of a misty teal and grey, as the colors harmonize in a serenity he enjoys.

Dark Green/Teal: A color of communication and sophistication, Perdita is open and gentle in nature.

Crystal/Stone/Gem

Dalmatian Jasper: Grounding and loyal. This stone is said to bring about renewal. A visual representation of the darkness Wolffe is still trying to process.

Clear Quartz: A crystal for purifying and cleansing other stones. Translucent and strong.

Food

Coffee: Black. No frills. Chugged while scalding. On Pabu I think he’d get WAY too into espresso and making good espresso.

Tacos: Not sure why but I love the thoughts of a Perdita that is safe, and just pounding some street tacos on Pabu.

There is so much strength, determination and above all… trust. They fight hard for one another. Are likely unhealthily attached to one another. They defied all odds - a Jedi Survivor and a Deserter Clone. There is not a thing these two would not do to keep the other safe. And in that, something beautiful emerged. A tension which lead to a fierce love and respect. Like a dog guarding its home almost, Wolffe would not stop at anything to keep her safe. Despite everything their love is so rich its intensity goes without words. Both transformed by the harshness they endured , picture them like Coal, so impressed upon it eventually turns to diamond. Not to mention the lovely symmetry in which they exist. Reflections of one another in so many ways, and yet a strong contrast of light and darkness. And… despite all the jokes he really does see this former Jedi as his “Princess”, worthy of love and admiration.

Read their stories here:

Key: Flashback ★

The Introduction: "Now we are even"| 5k (SFW) Part 1 : " The Rescue "| 13.5k (SFW) ★ Part 2: "Princess" | 6.8k (SFW) | collab for @clonexocweek day 3! Part 3: "Lessons in Intimacy" | 7.7k (mostly SFW) | @clonexocweek day 4! Part 4: "Mercy Mission" (Coming Soon!) ★

Animal

Silver Foxes (Brown): Fast, intelligent, resourceful. Silver Foxes specifically have associations with being hunter for sport and worn by royalty. They tend to be more antisocial creatures, but once they grow to trust, they are very friendly. Fierce hunters and adaptable creatures, Tech is intelligent and good at problem solving.

Sea Turtle: Having long lives and being an integral role in the marine ecosystem, turtles are resilant. From hatching, to a life of solidarity, they are always finding ways to adapt and survive. Graceful and strong. Marina has faced hardships but she continues to survive.

Place

Misty Ocean Cliffside: Tech seems the type to appreciate the softeness of an overcast down overlooking the water. No harshness of the sun, but taking in the splendor of the strength of the ocean.

Oceanside: In a more generalized sense, Marina is very connected to the ocean. Her work, her livihood, even her name are tied to a connection with the ocean. She particularly enjoys diving to view reefs.

Plant

Mint: fresh, clean, and cool. Mint is a plant with beneficially properties and a plesant taste/aroma that is mild. Tech radiates practicality and keeping a calm head about most things.

Marine Alage: A part of the reef ecosystem, sea alage is very unique in terms of the genetic structture and physical makeup. They do not act as normal 'plants', not having a vasualar system or structure. In a similar way, Marina is very unique both physically and socially.

Character

Milo Thatch: loyal, well intending... and awkward. Milo is very intelligent and respectful of people regardless of background. Plus, we are not blind... Milo girlies are now Tech girlies.

Elizabeth "Lizzie" Bennet: Name me a more independant, intelligent and witty woman. I'll wait. But in all seriousness, Elizabeth has much that she has to grow and learn with time - same as Marina needs to learn to allow herself to be cared for once again.

Season

Summer: A time for long days filled with many activities. Warmth and outdoor time. Summer is often associated with both a productive time and a time to unwind. Tech and Marina spend an awful lot of time around the ocean, so summer just feels like a fitting season for them both. The only differnce I see - Marina is a mid day swim, and Tech is a relaxing summer evening after a long day.

Hobby

Diving: What kind of Marina biologist doesn't enjoy diving and exploring? Marina's work is also her enjoyment, and with time becomes something she shares with him. The physicality of it, paired with the curiousity is the perfect blend of fun and educational for both these lovely scientists.

Color

Orange: Orange is a color of confidence and warmth. Often seen in nature and connected to creativity. Orange was the first color Tech 'chose' to identify with himself after Order 66 and the Batch repainted their armor.

Navy Blue: A color associated with dependability and calm. A color Marina has decorating her skin in the intricate lines of her tattoos.

Cyrstals, Stones, Gems

Ammonoidea fossil: Tech and Marina both share a love of research, and I do feel that fossils would hold interest for both. Aquatic based ones would provide a look at the past that they both find intriguing.

Food

Fish and Risotto: Something about the light filling nature of a nice grilled, citrus fish and risotto feels like a meal Tech would enjoy. It's got a practical comfort to it.

Salad: Healthy, fresh and limitless options for filling. Marina feels like the kind to actually enjoy a nice salad with homemade dressing.

Tech and Marina are the definition of a well oiled machine. Practical, sensible, and speaking a similar language without actually needing to speak at all. Academically minded people who genuinely care for the other's interest, they spend so much quality time in deep discussions on life, theories and hypotheticals. These two will never grow bored of each other. A story both of loss, and rebirth, they learn to move in a unified song and dance through life that contradicts everything people previously assumed about them. Marina brings out a lightness in him he never knew was there. Tech shows her that it's okay to be taken care of. Not to mention... a hidden spiciness brimming below the surface. Their love is one that says "I already did that dear-", since their strong atunement towards each other's needs is so strong, it often outweighs their own.

Read their story here:

1. "Someone New" | 10k (SFW) | Part of "Between Hearts and Ruin" Event

[atefingersdagger]

Something I'm so curious about in the Hunger Games is the infrastructure and architecture of all of Panem. Like, does District 4 have their houses raised to avoid flooding from the shoreline? Do any of the districts have their buildings made to avoid collapse from an earthquake. Do districts within where tornado alley is have infrastructure made to protect against severe storms?

I imagine District 2 has a lot of ancient Roman-esq (or maybe even neo-classical) and Brutalist designs with plenty of buildings showing wear in their rockwork from erosion. But do any of the districts have more Gothic inspired architecture? How do the cultures and ecosystems shape the designs of their infrastructure?

[reasonsforhope]

"Many people know about the Yellowstone wolf miracle. After wolves were reintroduced to the national park in the mid-1990s, streamside bushes that had been grazed to stubble by out-of-control elk populations started bouncing back. Streambank erosion decreased. Creatures such as songbirds that favor greenery along creeks returned. Nearby aspens flourished.

While there is debate about how much of this stemmed from the wolves shrinking the elk population and how much was a subtle shift in elk behavior, the overall change was dramatic. People were captivated by the idea that a single charismatic predator’s return could ripple through an entire ecosystem. The result was trumpeted in publications such as National Geographic.

But have you heard about the sea otters and the salt marshes? Probably not.

It turns out these sleek coastal mammals, hunted nearly to extinction for their plush pelts, can play a wolf-like role in rapidly disappearing salt marshes, according to new research. The findings highlight the transformative power of a top predator, and the potential ecosystem benefits from their return.

“It begs the question: In how many other ecosystems worldwide could the reintroduction of a former top predator yield similar benefits?” said Brian Silliman, a Duke University ecologist involved in the research.

The work focused on Elk Slough, a tidal estuary at the edge of California’s Monterey Bay. The salt marsh lining the slough’s banks has been shrinking for decades. Between 1956 and 2003, the area lost 50% of its salt marshes.

Such tidal marshes are critical to keeping shorelines from eroding into the sea, and they are in decline around the world. The damage is often blamed on a combination of human’s altering coastal water flows, rising seas and nutrient pollution that weakens the roots of marsh plants.

But in Elk Slough, a return of sea otters hinted that their earlier disappearance might have been a factor as well. As many as 300,000 sea otters once swam in the coastal waters of western North America, from Baja California north to the Aleutian Islands. But a fur trade begun by Europeans in the 1700s nearly wiped out the animals, reducing their numbers to just a few thousand by the early 1900s. Southern sea otters, which lived on the California coast, were thought to be extinct until a handful were found in the early 1900s.

In the late 1900s, conservation organizations and government agencies embarked on an effort to revive the southern sea otters, which remain protected under the Endangered Species Act. In Monterey Bay, the Monterey Bay Aquarium selected Elk Slough as a prime place to release orphaned young sea otters taken in by the aquarium.

As the otter numbers grew, the dynamics within the salt marsh changed. Between 2008 and 2018, erosion of tidal creeks in the estuary fell by around 70% as otter numbers recovered from just 11 animals to nearly 120 following a population crash tied to an intense El Niño climate cycle.

While suggestive, those results are hardly bulletproof evidence of a link between otters and erosion. Nor does it explain how that might work.

To get a more detailed picture, the researchers visited 5 small tidal creeks feeding into the main slough. At each one, they enclosed some of the marsh with fencing to keep out otters, while other spots were left open. Over three years, they monitored the diverging fates of the different patches.

The results showed that otter presence made a dramatic difference in the condition of the marsh. They also helped illuminate why this was happening. It comes down to the otters’ appetite for small burrowing crabs that live in the marsh.

Adult otters need to eat around 25% of their body weight every day to endure the cold Pacific Ocean waters, the equivalent of 20 to 25 pounds. And crabs are one of their favorite meals. After three years, crab densities were 68% higher in fenced areas beyond the reach of otters. The number of crab burrows was also higher. At the same time, marsh grasses inside the fences fared worse, with 48% less mass of leaves and stems and 15% less root mass, a critical feature for capturing sediment that could otherwise wash away, the scientists reported in late January in Nature.

The results point to the crabs as a culprit in the decline of the marshes, as they excavate their holes and feed on the plant roots. It also shows the returning otters’ potential as a marsh savior, even in the face of rising sea levels and continued pollution. In tidal creeks with high numbers of otters, creek erosion was just 5 centimeters per year, 69% lower than in creeks with fewer otters and a far cry from earlier erosion of as much as 30 centimeters per year.  

“The return of the sea otters didn’t reverse the losses, but it did slow them to a point that these systems could restabilize despite all the other pressures they are subject to,” said Brent Hughes, a biology professor at Sonoma State University and former postdoctoral researcher in Silliman’s Duke lab.

The findings raise the question of whether other coastal ecosystems might benefit from a return of top predators. The scientists note that a number of these places were once filled with such toothy creatures as bears, crocodiles, sharks, wolves, lions and dolphins. Sea otters are still largely absent along much of the West Coast.

As people wrestle to hold back the seas and revive their ailing coasts, a predator revival could offer relatively cheap and effective assistance. “It would cost millions of dollars for humans to rebuild these creek banks and restore these marshes,” Silliman said of Elk Slough. “The sea otters are stabilizing them for free in exchange for an all-you-can-eat crab feast.”"

-via Anthropocene Magazine, February 7, 2024

[beautifulmars]

HiPOD: Fluvial Erosion in Harmakhis Vallis

This observation was requested by a Mars class to examine fluvial processes in one of the large channels leading into Harmakhis Vallis. The requested image is in a corner pointing opposite of the flow, possibly creating an eddy/turbulent area. The goal is to get a high resolution look for shoreline markings and erosion effects. Harmakhis Vallis probably formed by a combination of surface collapse and flowing water. (Grayscale cutout is less than 5 km across; enhanced color is less than 1 km.)

ID: ESP_075006_1410 date: 27 July 2022 altitude: 257 km

NASA/JPL-Caltech/UArizona

[fuckyeahfluiddynamics]

Calming the Waves

Wave action can be a major source of erosion along riverbanks and shorelines. But in a recent study, scientists were able to perfectly absorb incoming waves to create a downstream region with calm, wave-free waters. (Image and research credit: L-P. Euvé et al.; via APS Physics) Read the full article