What: Talk Live with Scientists on the ocean floor in NOAA’s Aquarius lab, and in a lab at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) about the battle for dominance on Caribbean coral reefs. Corals, sponges and algae now fight to prevail on reefs once covered with corals. Learn why the winning species will make a big difference to ecosystems and the variety and abundance of life the reefs will support, or will fail to support. During the interview, see live images from inside and outside the Aquarius habitat. Learn more about Giant Barrel Sponges, called the “Redwoods of the Reefs,” which are among the oldest animals on Earth, some more than 2,000 years old.
Why: Coral coverage on Caribbean reefs has been reduced to a small fraction of mid-20th century levels. Yet relatively little is known about the sponges that now dominate these reefs and about their ability to remain dominant in the face of a wide variety of challenges. UNCW scientists will explain the importance of a database against which to measure change, and how diseases, hurricanes, oil spills, changing ocean surface temperatures, ocean acidification, fishing lines, chemical defenses, and extinctions or reductions of predators and prey affect the chances for sponges, or another challenger, to dominate, with potential impacts on seafood supply and recreational diving.
Who: Interview UNCW scientists Dr. Joseph Pawlik ashore in Wilmington, and Dr. Chris Finelli in NOAA’s Aquarius Habitat. UNCW scientists, including graduate students, have been monitoring barrel sponges in the Florida Keys since 1997, supported by NOAA’s Aquarius Reef Base, NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program, the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, the National Science Foundation and others.
When: Wednesday, August 25 at 11:30 a.m. Eastern time
How: Please send an RSVP e-mail to [email protected]. On Wednesday, please participate by calling 866-802-1907, passcode 4314277
Where: NOAA’s Aquarius Habitat and Laboratory is 63 feet deep on the seafloor three miles off the coast of Florida in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, next to Conch Reef. This 9-day mission is described at aquarius.UNCW.edu.
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