Sunday
2:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Arrival and Check-in
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Dinner
7:30 pm - 7:40 pm
Introductory Comments by GRC Staff / Welcome and Introduction from the Chairs
7:40 pm - 9:30 pm
Keynote Session: Trophic Ecology
Discussion Leader: Sonia Rowley (University of Hawaii at Manoa, United States)
7:40 pm - 7:45 pm
Introduction by Discussion Leader
7:45 pm - 8:30 pm
Michael Lesser (University of New Hampshire, United States)
"Transition from Autotrophy to Heterotrophy on MCEs"
8:30 pm - 8:45 pm
Discussion
8:45 pm - 9:05 pm
Benjamin Mueller (University of Amsterdam, Netherlands Antilles)
"Sponges Matter – Supporting Life From The Shallows to The Deep-Sea"
9:05 pm - 9:15 pm
Discussion
9:15 pm - 9:30 pm
General Discussion
Monday
7:30 am - 8:30 am
Breakfast
8:30 am - 9:00 am
Group Photo
9:00 am - 12:30 pm
Biodiversity and Zonation
Discussion Leader: Clark Sherman (University of Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico)
9:00 am - 9:05 am
Introduction by Discussion Leader
9:05 am - 9:50 am
Anthony Montgomery (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, United States)
"Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems of American Samoa: What Do Corals Tell Us About The Deep Reef Refuge Hypothesis?"
9:50 am - 10:05 am
Discussion
10:05 am - 10:40 am
Coffee Break
10:40 am - 11:10 am
Heather Fullerton (College of Charleston, United States)
"Microbes of the Mesophotic: Does Host Species and Depth Really Matter?"
11:10 am - 11:25 am
Discussion
11:25 am - 11:55 am
Matthew Edwards (San Diego State University, United States)
"The Effects of Habitat Loss on Ecosystem Productivity in Kelp Forests and Rhodolith Beds"
11:55 am - 12:10 pm
Discussion
12:10 pm - 12:30 pm
General Discussion
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm
Lunch
1:30 pm - 4:00 pm
Free Time
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
The GRC Power Hour™
The GRC Power Hour™ is designed to address diversity and inclusion in the scientific workplace by providing a safe environment for informal and meaningful conversations amongst colleagues of all career stages. The program supports the professional growth of all members of our communities, including ethnicity, race and/or gender identity by providing an open forum for discussion and mentoring.
Organizer: Heather Spalding (College of Charleston, United States)
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Poster Session
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Dinner
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
MCE processes
Discussion Leader: Tyler Smith (University of the Virgin Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands)
7:30 pm - 7:35 pm
Daniel Barshis (Old Dominion University, United States)
"Thermal Tolerance Limits of Mesophotic Corals in American Samoa"
7:35 pm - 7:45 pm
Discussion
7:45 pm - 7:50 pm
Richard Coleman (Univesity of Miami, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, United States)
"Shifting Reef Fish Assemblages along a Depth Gradient in Pohnpei, Micronesia"
7:50 pm - 8:00 pm
Discussion
8:00 pm - 8:05 pm
Brian Helmuth (Northeastern University, United States)
"Fabien Cousteau’s PROTEUS™ Underwater Saturation Habitat: The Case for an International Space Station and Ocean Observatory at the Edge of the Mesophotic Zone"
8:05 pm - 8:15 pm
Discussion
8:15 pm - 8:20 pm
Christina Kellogg (U.S. Geological Survey, United States)
"Comparison of Three Preservation Methods and Two DNA Extraction Kits for Microbiome Analysis of Mesophotic Octocorals Swiftia Exserta and Muricea Pendula"
8:20 pm - 8:30 pm
Discussion
8:30 pm - 8:35 pm
Netanel Kramer (Tel Aviv University, Israel)
"3D Modeling of Light Energy Acquisition for Shallow and Mesophotic Coral Colonies"
8:35 pm - 8:45 pm
Discussion
8:45 pm - 8:50 pm
Keir Macartney (University of New Hampshire, United States)
"Microbial Symbionts of Mesophotic Black Coral"
8:50 pm - 9:00 pm
Discussion
9:00 pm - 9:05 pm
Frederic Sinniger (University of the Ryukyus, Japan)
"Scleractinian Diversity in the Deeper Parts of the Reef in Okinawa"
9:05 pm - 9:15 pm
Discussion
9:15 pm - 9:20 pm
Alexander Wyatt (The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong SAR China)
"Mesoscale Dynamics and Internal Waves Alter Thermal Refuge Depth Ranges over Coral Reefs"
9:20 pm - 9:30 pm
Discussion
Tuesday
7:30 am - 8:30 am
Breakfast
9:00 am - 12:30 pm
Connectivity and Modeling
Discussion Leader: Frederic Sinniger (University of the Ryukyus, Japan)
9:00 am - 9:05 am
Introduction by Discussion Leader
9:05 am - 9:40 am
Coffee Break
9:40 am - 10:35 am
Erin Easton (University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, United States)
"Molecular Genetics of Octocorals on MCEs: Integrative Approaches"
10:35 am - 10:55 am
Discussion
10:55 am - 11:50 am
Jack Laverick (University of Stratchlyde, United Kingdom)
"Integrating Mesophotic Research Into Our Own ‘Standard Model’ for Reefs"
11:50 am - 12:10 pm
Discussion
12:10 pm - 12:30 pm
General Discussion
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm
Lunch
1:30 pm - 4:00 pm
Free Time
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Poster Session
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Dinner
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Connectivity and Reproduction
Discussion Leader: Daniel Holstein (Louisiana State University, United States)
7:30 pm - 7:40 pm
Introduction by Discussion Leader
7:40 pm - 8:10 pm
Joshua Voss (Florida Atlantic University, United States)
"Exploration, Connectivity, and Conservation of Mesophotic Coral Reefs in the NW Gulf of Mexico and Florida"
8:10 pm - 8:25 pm
Discussion
8:25 pm - 8:55 pm
Richard Nemeth (University of the Virgin Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands)
"Progressive Changes in Reproductive Behavior of a Recovering Nassau Grouper Spawning Aggregation"
8:55 pm - 9:10 pm
Discussion
9:10 pm - 9:30 pm
General Discussion
Wednesday
7:30 am - 8:30 am
Breakfast
9:00 am - 12:30 pm
Disturbances
Discussion Leader: Joshua Voss (Florida Atlantic University, United States)
9:00 am - 9:05 am
Introduction by Discussion Leader
9:05 am - 9:45 am
Luiz Rocha (California Academy of Sciences, United States)
"Human and Natural Impacts on Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems"
9:45 am - 10:05 am
Discussion
10:05 am - 10:40 am
Coffee Break
10:40 am - 11:10 am
Or Ben-Zvi (Scripps Institution of Oceanography, United States)
"Short-Term and Chronic Disturbances in MCEs"
11:10 am - 11:25 am
Discussion
11:25 am - 11:55 am
Marilyn Brandt (University of the Virgin Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands)
"Understanding Coral Disease Dynamics and Impacts on Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems"
11:55 am - 12:10 pm
Discussion
12:10 pm - 12:30 pm
General Discussion
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm
Lunch
1:30 pm - 4:00 pm
Free Time
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Poster Session
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Dinner
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Ecophysiology
Discussion Leader: Peter Etnoyer (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, United States)
7:30 pm - 7:40 pm
Introduction by Discussion Leader
7:40 pm - 8:10 pm
Daniel Wangpraseurt (UC San Diego, United States)
"Light Harvesting and Optical Properties of Mesophotic Corals"
8:10 pm - 8:25 pm
Discussion
8:25 pm - 8:55 pm
Jackie Padilla-Gamino (University of Washington, United States)
"Ecophysiology of Montipora Capitata and Leptoseris Spp. In The Mesophotic Zone"
8:55 pm - 9:10 pm
Discussion
9:10 pm - 9:30 pm
General Discussion
Thursday
7:30 am - 8:30 am
Breakfast
8:30 am - 9:00 am
Business Meeting
Nominations for the Next Vice Chair(s); Complete the GRC Evaluation Forms; Discuss Future Dates and Venue; Election of the Next Vice Chair(s)
9:00 am - 12:30 pm
Climate Change
Discussion Leader: Gretchen Goodbody-Gringley (Central Caribbean Marine Institute, Cayman Islands)
9:00 am - 9:05 am
Introduction by Discussion Leader
9:05 am - 9:45 am
Tali Mass (University of Haifa, Israel)
"Mechanisms Enabling Corals to Persist and Thrive in Diverse Environments"
9:45 am - 10:05 am
Discussion
10:05 am - 10:40 am
Coffee Break
10:40 am - 11:10 am
Tyler Smith (University of the Virgin Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands)
"Persistence of Mesophotic Corals, Ecological and Physiological Vulnerabilities"
11:10 am - 11:25 am
Discussion
11:25 am - 11:55 am
Carlo Cerrano (Polytechnic University of Marche, Italy)
"Temperate Mesophotic Ecosystems - Unexpected Adaptive Strategies to Climate Change and New Opportunities for Conservation"
11:55 am - 12:10 pm
Discussion
12:10 pm - 12:30 pm
General Discussion
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm
Lunch
1:30 pm - 4:00 pm
Free Time
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Poster Session
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Dinner
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Conservation
Discussion Leader: Keir Macartney (University of New Hampshire, United States)
7:30 pm - 7:35 pm
Introduction by Discussion Leader
7:35 pm - 8:05 pm
Lucy Woodall (University of Exeter, United Kingdom)
"Coproducing Impactful Mesophotic Research"
8:05 pm - 8:20 pm
Discussion
8:20 pm - 8:50 pm
Gretchen Goodbody-Gringley (Central Caribbean Marine Institute, Cayman Islands)
"Community Ecology of Mesophotic Coral Reefs in the Cayman Islands"
8:50 pm - 9:05 pm
Discussion
9:05 pm - 9:15 pm
General Discussion
9:15 pm - 9:30 pm
Closing Remarks
Friday
7:30 am - 8:30 am
Breakfast
9:00 am
Departure