Mote to kick off new library lecture series in Florida Keys
Mote Postdoctoral Research Fellow Dr. Heather Page will share her knowledge of ocean acidification.
Mote Marine Laboratory will kick off a new lecture series with its first presentation at 3-4 p.m. Saturday, April 28, at the Marathon Branch Library. These monthly events are free to the public and will feature a presentation from a marine scientist followed by a question and answer session.
The inaugural lecture will feature Mote’s Postdoctoral Research Fellow Dr. Heather Page and the potential impacts ocean acidification (OA) has on marine organisms and ecosystems like coral reefs. Page recently joined Mote’s growing team of next-generation scientists from Hawaii where she was studying carbon chemistry of coral reefs.
Now stationed at Mote’s Elizabeth Moore International Center for Coral Reef Research and Restoration, Page plans to study OA’s effects on three key “players” of coral reefs in Florida and throughout the Caribbean – coral, seaweeds and sponges – as well as the hypothesis that OA may cause coral reefs to shift towards algal-sponge reefs.
“I’m really looking forward to about sharing what I’ve learned so far in my career and help shed light on a topic not easily understood,” said Page. “Ocean acidification is impacting our community and not a lot of people realize how harmful it can be.”
Attendees can expect to learn more about the negative impacts of ocean acidification on our local marine ecosystems and how they can help reduce OA. Additionally, attendees will get an in-depth look into the beauty and importance of both corals and sponges on reefs as well as the scientific method involved in studying the biogeochemistry and ecology of coral reefs.
No RSVP is required. The lecture will start promptly at 3 p.m. The Marathon Branch of the Monroe County Library is located at 3251 Overseas Highway, Marathon, FL 33050. For questions contact Allison Delashmit, Florida Keys Community Relations Manager at allisond@mote.org or (305) 509-9141. For future dates visit mote.org/summerland.