Lectures at the Lagoon

Join us for a Lecture at the Lagoon, where you will have the opportunity to hear from a diverse range of environmental experts. These knowledgeable speakers specialize in sharing captivating stories about a variety of fascinating topics, from the octopus population under the Blue Heron Bridge in Riviera Beach to the importance of manatees in our ecosystem. Our free lectures are held at 2:00 p.m. on the second Sunday of each month. Don't miss this chance to learn and be inspired!

Helping Corals Take the Heat: Biotech and Interventions for Coral Conservation

Despite their immense economic and ecological importance, coral reef ecosystems are declining at an alarming rate due to climate change and other human impacts. If corals have a chance of surviving in their rapidly warming and changing world, interventions are urgently needed to help them take the heat. In this talk, Dr. Liv Williamson will share the ways scientists here in Florida and around the world are testing and implementing innovative tools to safeguard coral diversity, increase coral resilience, and restore reefs. 

As Program Manager at the nonprofit organization Revive & Restore, Liv develops and oversees applied genetic rescue projects around the world. Working with endangered species from elephants, to corals, to frogs, she seeks new ways to leverage biotechnology for wildlife conservation. Previously, as a scientist at the University of Miami, Liv tested innovative strategies to increase the survival and fitness of threatened Caribbean corals. Liv shares her passion for the natural world through science communication, education, and citizen science, empowering people of all backgrounds to be environmental stewards. Liv graduated from Barnard College of Columbia University with a B.A. in environmental science in 2017 and earned her Ph.D. in Marine Biology and Ecology at the Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science in 2022.

Dr. Liv WilliamsonDr. Liv Williamson brain coral

Speaker: Dr. Liv Williamson

Program Manager at Revive & Restore

When: Sunday, April 14th  at 2:00 p.m.

Cost: Free admission, registration recommended.

 

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2024 Lecture Series Archive

March Lecture: Sharks & Goliath Grouper of Florida: Stories of Conservation

Dr. Chris Malinowski, Director of Research and Conservation for the Ocean First Institute, joined Manatee Lagoon as the speaker for our March Lecture at the Lagoon. During this lecture, he discussed important conservation issues impacting coastal ecosystems in Florida and beyond, through the lens of his research on iconic species in Florida, like Goliath Grouper, sharks, snook, and sheepshead.

Dr. Chris Malinowski

Speaker: Christopher Malinowski, PhD

Director of Research and Conservation

February Lecture: The Effects of Ocean Acidification On Clam Growth and Survival: An Uncertain Future for Florida's Estuaries and Aquaculture Industry

Within the aquaculture industry, Florida estuaries are utilized for their potential to grow commercially harvestable clams. The smallest size clams ready to be planted, called 'seed clams" are placed in field nurseries across estuarine mudflats where they feed on phytoplankton until they have grown to harvestable size. However, planting clams in field nurseries brings environmentally dependent risks. Clam aquaculture within these field nurseries are inherently vulnerable to the influences of acidic/suboptimal pH swings, with the youngest clams at highest risk. The rising influence of ocean acidification may cause an even greater decline in optimal water conditions for various estuarine fauna. The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of carbon dioxide-induces pH changes on the growth and survival of seed stage Hard clams, Mercenaria mercenaria.

Noah Gorman

Speaker: Noah Gorman

Marine Biology Student at Florida Atlantic University Honors College

Manatee Master at Manatee Lagoon - An FPL Eco-Discovery Center

January Lecture: Foraminifera: Evolution, Ecology, and Symbiosis

Dr. Richardson is a research professor at the FAU Wilkes Honors College, where she has been teaching since 2002. In addition to her role at the college, she is also a research associate in the Department of Paleobiology at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. Her research focuses on the phylogeny of Foraminifera, the evolutionary impact of photosymbiosis within this group, and their ecology in seagrass and mangrove ecosystems. Dr. Richardson is currently conducting field research in the Indian River Lagoon and Florida Keys, as well as in Belize, Central America. 

Dr. Susan Richardson

Speaker: Susan Richardson, PhD 

Affiliated Assistant Research Professor of Biology

Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University