Eternal Evening in the Ocean: Where Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems Thrive
Date/Time: Thursday, January 16, 2025 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM EST
Mesophotic, or “middle-light”, coral ecosystems exist deeper than the shallow coral reefs you might immediately think of. Mesophotic ecosystems can exist across depths of 100 ft (30m) to 350 ft (150m) from the ocean surface. Because of this depth range, these ecosystems occupy as much as 80% of the potential space coral reefs can live in on the seafloor throughout the global tropical ocean. In recent decades, technological advances in diving and robotic vehicles have allowed us to explore and learn more about these diverse and important ecosystems. Join Philip Yang, PhD Student and NOAA Dr. Nancy Foster Scholar at the University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography to learn more about these ecosystems and what it takes to study them using cutting-edge science!