From left, researchers Yannis Papastamatiou, Kevin Boswell, Mark Bond, Demian Chapman, Jeremy Kiszka, Yuying Zhang and Mike Heithaus form the core of FIU’s marine predator research team.
Diving deep Marine Sciences Program expands efforts to protect world’s oceans
O
ceans make up two-thirds of the planet, yet they are imperiled on a global scale.
With an abundance of marine habitats at our doorstep, from the Florida Keys and the Atlantic Ocean to the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, FIU scientists are using the living laboratories around us to study the problems plaguing the oceans. They are coupling these efforts with global studies from the cold waters of the Arctic to the warm and remote waters off the coast of Australia. In the past year alone, the School of Environment, Arts and Society has assembled a marine predator hub featuring some of the most prominent shark and ray researchers in the world, along with top up-andcomers in the field. This team has made international headlines in the past year with the launch of
Global FinPrint, a key project in the FIU Tropical Conservation Institute that received core funding from Microsoft Co-Founder Paul G. Allen. FinPrint is a global survey of shark and ray populations of coral reefs, trying to identify their last remaining strongholds and areas in need of urgent conservation action. But support is needed to expand FinPrint’s reach to include more endangered species and reefs. The researchers are also studying the behavior of sharks, whales, dolphins and rays; predator-prey interactions; illegal fishing; conservation planning and policy; and more. Advances in technology allow the scientists to get to the core of what’s plaguing predators. Video cameras attached to the animals provide information on where they are and what they are doing. Baited remote underwater video capture sharks, rays and others on camera in their natural
habitats. Tracking tags and sensors reveal details about shark behavior and physiology, including swim speed, direction and digestive processes. These are just some of the emerging technologies and novel approaches used by FIU researchers to inform and advance meaningful conservation. Our marine scientists have also expanded research to coral reef and seagrass conservation, launched initiatives focused on eliminating pollution, and established partnerships in Biscayne Bay, the Florida Keys, Naples and throughout our local communities to advance research and education initiatives. A unique resource is the Medina Aquarius Program, which houses Aquarius, the world’s only underwater research laboratory. Aquarius is an unparalleled asset that is critical for studying the world’s oceans
and what plagues them. It is a core component of the school’s Marine Education and Research Initiative, a program focused on marine conservation in the Florida Keys. Through higher education, research, K-12 educational programming and community outreach, FIU’s Marine Sciences Program is pushing the capabilities of what can be achieved underwater to protect the world’s oceans.
FIU marine scientists are driving conservation projects that will measurably improve global ocean health. To support our ocean research, contact givetocase@fiu.edu | 305-348-4349.