All Boardwalk Talks are on Wednesdays at 11:15

Come to the Estuarium to participate in a dialog with the experts at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab.  The Northern Gulf Institute presents a series of informal conversations about all things scientific in the Gulf of Mexico region.  These brief talks are free and the series will cover a broad range of topics; check monthly for a schedule.

Wednesday, February 1 – hosted by
Marcus Drymon, Ph.D.
So Tiger Sharks Eat Birds – Who Cares ?
Placing Research within a Broader Context
Scientists often spend their careers (and your tax dollars) studying phenomena that, while fascinating to science, are of seemingly little importance to the general public. Using a recent example, we will discuss how scientists are much like detectives solving a mystery in which each puzzle-piece solved contributes to a broader understanding of our natural systems - and how the body of knowledge accumulated by scientists benefits humanity. 

Wednesday, February 8 – hosted by
Will Patterson, Ph.D.
How do you age fish, and who cares?
Fish earstones, or otoliths, lay down growth rings similar to trees.  Counting rings allows scientists to age fish, and fish age is critical for computing growth and mortality rates.  These rates are used to study a fish’s ecology and are inputs for stock assessments.

Wednesday, February 15 – hosted by
Ruth Carmichael, Ph.D.
Horseshoe Crabs:  Social & Ecological Relevance & Fringe LifestylesHorseshoe crabs have remained largely unchanged for 450 million years and are considered "living fossils".  Today, they are harvested throughout the world, their blood is used to produce biomedical products, and they are important to local food webs.  The fringe horseshoe crab populations in the northern Gulf of Mexico are largely unstudied, but may be important as populations decline elsewhere.  In the wake of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, these humble creatures may also teach us about the resiliency of the Gulf ecosystem.

Schedule subject to change; check back for updates and next month’s schedule.
For more information, visit www.disl.org
Or call 251-861-2141