Mote to launch new presentation series at Divers Direct
Credit: Abigail Clark
Mote Marine Laboratory will launch a new presentation series with its first talk from 5-6 p.m. Saturday, April 21 at Divers Direct in Key West. 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 presentation will feature Dr. Abigail Clark, Staff Biologist at Mote’s Elizabeth Moore International Center for Coral Reef Research & Restoration (IC2R3) and Jason Spadaro, Ph.D. Candidate at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia.
Clark will discuss her research on the Caribbean spiny lobster and its associated virus, Panulirus argus Virus 1 (PaV1). Additionally, Clark will give an overview of the Microbiology and Molecular Biology Dry Laboratories at IC2R3.
Spadaro will discuss how manipulating the density of herbivorous spider crabs on degraded coral reefs in the Keys has shown great promise not just for improving conditions for coral restoration, but also as a mechanism for community-scale restoration (e.g., increased abundance and diversity of fishes, increased natural juvenile coral survival).
“The biodiversity of our local reefs is a valuable resource for our community,” said Clark. “My hope is that attendees will leave with a better understanding of the significance diseases play in marine ecosystems.”
No RSVP is required. The lecture will start promptly at 5 p.m. Divers Direct is located at 535 Greene St, Key West, FL 33040. 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.