Marine Heatwave-Driven Transformation of Coral Reef Ecosystems

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IOF SEMINAR – February 3, 2023

Marine Heatwave-Driven Transformation of Coral Reef Ecosystems

Climate change-amplified marine heatwaves now pose an imminent threat to the world’s tropical coral reefs. On almost all coral reefs, however, climate change is superimposed on a suite of local anthropogenic stressors, and available evidence suggests that these impacted reefs can fare better than protected ones during heatwaves, leading to the ‘protection paradox’.

In this talk, we’ll journey an atoll in the central equatorial Pacific that endured heat stress of unprecedented duration during the 2015-2016 El Niño-induced 3rd global coral bleaching event. Dr. Baum will present ecosystem-scale results of the impacts of prolonged heat stress, and discuss the role that local stressors played in modulated heat stress impacts as well as distinct mechanisms of coral resilience.

Dr. Julia Baum
Faculty of Science President’s Chair
Professor of Ocean Ecology and Global Change
Provost’s Engaged Scholar
University of Victoria

Friday, February 3, 2023 – 11:00am  – 11:50 am
Hybrid: In-person at AERL Theatre (2202 Main Mall, UBC)
and over ZOOM

IOF community members (students, faculty and staff) do not need to RSVP for this seminar series.

UBC members, alumni, and all others, please RSVP at:
https://oceans.ubc.ca/rsvp-iof-seminars/

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