Seminar – Harnessing the dynamic ocean weather of coastal ecosystems for marine carbon dioxide removal

Dr. Tyler Cyronak, Georgia Southern University
Presenting: "Harnessing the dynamic ocean weather of coastal ecosystems for marine carbon dioxide removal"

MLML Seminar | March 2nd, 2023 at 4pm

Watch the Live Stream here or here

Dr. Cyronak runs the Coastal Carbon Laboratory (CCL) in the Institute for Coastal Plain Science at Georgia Southern University. Research in the CCL focuses on the carbon cycle in coastal ecosystems such as estuaries, marshes, coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrass beds. We are interested in the role that these ecosystems play in the global carbon cycle, how they will be affected by climate change, and what role they can play in carbon dioxide removal from the atmosphere. Learn more about the CCL: www.coastalcarbon.org.

Dr. Tyler Cyronak Presents: Harnessing the dynamic ocean weather of coastal ecosystems for marine carbon dioxide removal

Seminar – Breathless throughout time: oxygen, temperature, and animals across Earth’s history

Dr. Erik Sperling, Stanford University
Presenting: "Breathless through time: oxygen, temperature, and animals across Earth's history"

MLML Seminar | February 23rd, 2023 at 4pm

Watch the Live Stream here or here

My research interests are Earth history and the evolution of life, and the interactions between the biosphere and the geosphere. As such this research can generally be considered paleontology, insofar as paleontology encompasses all aspects of the history of life. My research incorporates multiple lines of evidence, and multiple tools, to investigate questions in the history of life. These lines of evidence include fossil data, molecular phylogenetics, sedimentary geochemistry, and ecological and physiological data from modern organisms. Ultimately, the goal is to link environmental change with organismal and ecological response through the lens of physiology.

Dr. Birgitte McDonald featured on NBC Bay Area and KTVU

Moss Landing's own Professor of Vertebrate Ecology, Dr. Gitte McDonald was featured recently on both NBC Bay Area and KTVU in her role as team leader for MLML's and New Zealand’s National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA)'s joint field research on emperor penguins in the Antarctic.

Funded in part by NSF, the researchers have braved -35°F temperatures to collect pivotal data on emperor penguin behavior in response to climate change. The team safely captures penguins using a "big hug" technique while they attach GPS-linked data logger, that can record the bird's position and actions using technology very similar to a Fitbit.

Because emperor penguins' heart rates dip to 20 beats per minute when diving below 400 meters (and sometimes as low as 8 bpm), such data loggers can give important information about how deep they dive for food. The accelerometer in the logger can also tell the team what action the penguin was taking, such as standing, swimming, or even tobogganing.

This research is only the start of a 5-year program, Ross Sea Region Research and Monitoring Programs (Ross-RAMP) that will provide valuable data on the effectiveness of the world's largest marine protected area, the Ross Sea MPA.

More information can be found at SJSU News Center.