Crabs find themselves in hot water

Phillip Gravinese, a marine biology doctoral student, recently had his stone crab research featured in Reuters. “There’s already something out there that’s been making the catch smaller and so it becomes concerning when you add these other stressors,” said Gravinese. Phil’s research is exploring how the warming ocean temperature is affecting the crab’s ability to grow their signature rock-like shells. Warmer waters equal thinner shells, making the crab more vulnerable to predators like octopus, which are experiencing a population boom.