Leveraging Ecological and Molecular Approaches Within Data-Limited Mesophotic Ecosystems

The Mesophotic Coral Reef Ecosystems GRS provides a unique forum for young doctoral and post-doctoral researchers to present their work, discuss new methods, cutting edge ideas, and pre-published data, as well as to build collaborative relationships with their peers. Experienced mentors and trainee moderators will facilitate active participation in scientific discussion to allow all attendees to be engaged participants rather than spectators.

This forum will focus on leveraging data in data-limited mesophotic environments. Mesophotic coral reef ecosystems comprise a significant portion of total coral reef area but are relatively understudied. As these reefs are typically found between depths of 30 – 150m they are structured by factors such as light and bathymetry. Despite growing interest, sampling and exploration of these reefs remains difficult. Accessing the necessary depths for study poses a significant barrier to research. As this environment is still data-limited, the training of new researchers in both technical diving and rigorous methodologies is critical. This also highlights the need for strong collaborative work.

The first GRS on Mesophotic Coral Reef Ecosystems will bring together graduate students and early career scientists to present and discuss the cutting-edge methods we are using. We aim to help researchers expand their networks, adding new skillsets into scientific pipelines. This will help maximize the science which can be performed from limited opportunities in the field. We encourage applications for talks on any topic with a focus on mesophotic coral reef ecosystems.