THURSDAY 11/15: Seminar on Coral Reefs at UVA-Oyster

A seminar on “Coral Reefs of the World: Health and Sustainability” will be held 7 p.m. Thursday, November 15, at the Anheuser Busch Coastal Research Center in Oyster.

University of Virginia assistant professor Matt Reidenbach will describe the functioning of coral reefs and current threats to their health.

Call 571-331-1246 for more information.

Abstract: Coral reefs are often compared to terrestrial rain forests due to their immense productivity and diversity of organisms. Although highly productive, coral reefs are usually located in nutrient poor regions of the ocean. My research suggests that the reefs’ remarkably efficient ability to exchange necessary dissolved and particulate matter with its surroundings may allow for this high productivity to be maintained. However, enhanced nutrient inputs to reef systems due to poor land use practices have severely threatened reef health. Combined with changing ocean conditions due to rising sea surface temperatures and ocean acidification, coral reef populations are at greater risk of decline.