Seminar on Beach Biodiversity

Mole crab, a common denizen of Oregon beaches.\Photo by Bonnie Henderson.

The Hatfield Marine Science Center continues to hold its Thursday research seminar series online.  Next up is a talk about a subject that is literally beneath the feet of beachgoers—the life that dwells beneath the sands. Speaker Guilherme Nascimento Corte, a postdoctoral researcher at the Universidade de São Paulo, will address “The hidden biodiversity of beach ecosystems: sampling methods, spatial patterns and the influence of the environment and human activities.”

As Dr. Corte describes his subject, “Sandy beaches are central in the connection between marine and terrestrial environments and make up approximately one-third of the world’s ice-free shorelines. These ecosystems host diverse and exclusive assemblages with a rate of endemism sometimes greater than those recorded for highly diverse ecosystems such as coral reefs. Unfortunately, no other coastal ecosystem is subject to such high levels of anthropic use and inappropriate management actions. Understanding what the components of beach biodiversity are and how they are spatially distributed is therefore a critical step towards the long-term sustainability of these ecosystems. Yet, sandy beaches are by far the least studied coastal ecosystems. In this presentation, I will talk about the hidden biodiversity found in sandy beach sediments and waves, and the traditional and new methods used to sample this biodiversity. I will also show the results of a project recently developed in Southeast Brazil which investigated the spatial patterns of beach organisms, including macrobenthos and fish, and how they are influenced by environmental characteristics and human activities.”

To attend the seminar, go here.
Dial-In Information: +1-971-247-1195 US Meeting ID: 945 5573 1151