Did you know that the moon cycle can be linked to marine life? Through 14 years of data collection and analysis, researchers found that the abundance of box jellyfish on the Waikiki Beach in Hawaii happens consistently.
Photo by James Brennan
The box jellyfish is amongst the deadliest species in the world. Their sting can be painful or even lethal, which is particularly troublesome for beachgoers.
For every 8 to 12 days after the full moon, the box jellyfish will come to shore. The results of the study show that there is no net increase or decrease in the total number of box jellyfish appearing on Waikiki, but they have found a predictable pattern where there are periods of increase and decreased occurring in a four years cycle. Scientists hypothesize that the pattern is highly influenced by the change in climate, which plays a major role in regulating the availability of food and resources.
Although there are many researches around the world that demonstrated the heavy influence of climate fluctuations and environmental conditions on the jellyfish, the box jellyfish specifically has a unique life cycle that makes studying them difficult.
Filed under: Current Events, Just for Fun, learning resources, Newsletter, Science Facts, What's New Tagged: | Beach, Box Jellyfish, Climate Change, Environment, Full Moon, Hawaii, Jellyfish, Marine Life, Moon Cycle, Pattern, science, Waikiki Beach
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