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Category: Seashore

Spiny rose stem galls

Spiny rose stem galls

Although I’m sure many of you are waiting as eagerly for the first flower buds, returning migrant birds, and other signs of spring as I am, I do still appreciate some of the nature observations that are just plain easier in the winter. Galls are certainly one of them. With no leaves on trees and shrubs, any galls remaining on woody stems are easily visible. Galls come in a variety of unique shapes and sizes; I’ve written about a number…

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Blue Mussels: Hanging on by a Thread

Blue Mussels: Hanging on by a Thread

Most people are relatively familiar with blue mussels (Mytilus edulis), even if only from a menu at a seafood restaurant. This popular edible bivalve (a shellfish with a hinged pair of shells) is circumpolar in its range, and in the western Atlantic Ocean extends as far south as South Carolina. Unlike the ribbed mussel that is commonly found in salt marshes and brackish water areas, the blue mussel is more common along rocky saltwater shorelines.  These rocky areas in which…

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Intertidal Invasion

Intertidal Invasion

These days, with globalization driving long-distance dispersal of species ranging from fungi to insects to plants, the term “invasive species” gets used a lot. To me, there is a difference between “non-native” and “invasive”. Although both terms refer to an organism that was not found here prior to colonialism, the term “invasive” is typically reserved for organisms that have not only established outside their native range, but have thrived and spread to the point of being a nuisance and can…

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Potatoes or brains?

Potatoes or brains?

The term “seaweed” refers to a group of marine organisms called macroalgae. Many people think of them as plants, but while they do share some similarities (e.g., photosynthesis), seaweeds actually belong to an entirely different kingdom: Protista. The larger group of macroalgae called seaweeds are further classified into red, green and brown alga. One of the easiest brown seaweeds to identify is the sea potato (Leathesia difformis): a yellowish-brown, lumpy sac-like seaweed, often with various dips, divots and furrows when…

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Wildflower Wednesday: Perennial Salt Marsh Aster

Wildflower Wednesday: Perennial Salt Marsh Aster

When most people think of salt marshes, they probably picture large expanses of nothing but grass. For those with a little more familiarity with marshes, you may go so far as to picture the common species of salt marsh plants, including smooth cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora), salt marsh hay (Spartina patens) or common glasswort (Salicornia maritima). But if you look closely, you may also find other interesting plants mixed in. This is what happened to me on a recent walk out…

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7 Reasons Not to Hate Poison Ivy

7 Reasons Not to Hate Poison Ivy

Given the horribly itchy rash that poison ivy can cause, it’s no wonder that this plant is loathed by many. I, too, have experienced the severe discomfort an encounter with poison ivy can bring, but I certainly don’t hate it. It would be more accurate to say that I respect poison ivy. Although poison ivy often gets a bad rap, and I may not be able to convince you to actually like it, here are seven reasons not to hate…

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American Mink (Neovison vison)

American Mink (Neovison vison)

When you take a walk along the Cape Cod Canal in February, there are certain things you expect to see: ring-billed gulls, hundreds (if not thousands) of common eiders, and common marine intertidal organisms, such as knotted wrack, common periwinkles, and barncles. But there’s another Canal resident that you may not be aware of: the American mink. Mink never live far from water, and although they are typically found along freshwater rivers, streams, and lakes, American mink (Neovison vison) will…

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False Indigo Bush (Amorpha fruticosa)

False Indigo Bush (Amorpha fruticosa)

The false indigo bush (Amorpha fruticosa) is known by many common names, including desert false indigo, dull-leaf indigobush, leadplant, and river locust. There are also other local plants with similar sounding common names, such as wild indigo (Baptisia tictoria). This is a prime example of the importance of scientific names in accurately differentiating between species. The leaves of false indigo bush, when present, are alternate and compound, with blunt oval-shaped leaflets 1 to 1.5 inches long. In May and June,…

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Knotted wrack (Ascophyllum nodosum)

Knotted wrack (Ascophyllum nodosum)

Many people think of seaweeds as simply plants that live in the sea. While many types of seaweed do have structures resembling the roots, stems and leaves of plants, and seaweeds do photosynthesize, technically seaweeds fall into an entirely different kingdom: Protista. Often referred to more scientifically as marine algae, seaweeds lack the specialized tissues found in plants responsible for transporting food and water.  In most field guides, seaweeds are divided into three main groups: green, brown and red. These…

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Jingle Shell (Anomia simplex)

Jingle Shell (Anomia simplex)

Clams, quahogs, oysters and mussels are probably the most well known bivalves, mollusks with two hinged shells, but there are many others. Another example is the jingle shell (Anomia simplex). Interestingly, despite having two hinged shells, it is often only the top shell that is found washed up on the beach. The bottom shell is less frequently discovered because it often remains attached to whatever substrate the animal was growing on.  The upper shell is convex and is movable during…

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