Latest Past Events
Red Tides, Unusual Plankton Blooms, and Recent Changes in the Oceanography of the Gulf of Maine
354 Aubert Hall 354 Munson Road, OronoI'll be discussing about the basic oceanography of the Gulf of Maine, in relation to annually-recurrent Red Tides (blooms of Alexandrium catanella, a dinoflagellate that causes Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning, or PSP). I will review our two decades of research into the matter and share some ideas about why these blooms occur and why they vary in intensity among years, placing such explanations in the context of the basic oceanography of the Gulf of Maine -- which has been changing in the last 8-10 years in ways that I will try to describe.
Use of genetic analysis to understand the population dynamics of three marine species in Maine – Dr. Larissa Williams
One method for determining population size and connectivity of marine species is through the examination of their genetics. A neutral marker such as the cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) gene can help establish genetic diversity and maternal gene flow among populations. COI was used in three studies to better understand three different marine species in […]
Lamarck revisited: Evidence for thermal transgenerational plasticity – Dr. Santiago Salinas
354 Aubert Hall 354 Munson Road, OronoOver the past few years, we have learned that parents can predict the environment the offspring will experience and get them ready for it — a biological head start of sorts. Transgenerational plasticity (TGP) occurs whenever the environment of the parents helps shape how offspring look and behave. Importantly, these responses are not a result […]