Valerie Paul, director and head scientist of the Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce, will speak on “Marine Chemical Ecology on Coral Reefs” on Wednesday, March 6 at 7:30 p.m. This is the fifth installment of the 33rd annual lecture series, “The Delicate Balance of Nature,” sponsored by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park.
Marine organisms use natural chemical signals for communication and defense. Paul’s talk will include how marine algae, sponges and soft corals make natural products that protect them from pathogenic bacteria, as well as how some compounds help coral larvae and other marine animals find appropriate settlement habitats. She will also discuss ongoing marine biomedical research.
Learn more about this topic at the visitor center and aquarium building inside John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. The park is located at MM 102.5, oceanside, and there is no cost to enter the park for the lecture series. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the lecture begins at 7:30. Seating is limited, so it is recommended that visitors arrive on time to be assured of a seat in the auditorium, which is wheelchair accessible. Bring your own cushion for added seating comfort. Temperatures in the auditorium vary and a sweater or light jacket may be desired. Please help us to accommodate those who are chemically sensitive by not wearing fragrances and other scented products.
For more information or accessibility needs, contact Elena Muratori, park services specialist, at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, 305-676-3786. For more information on Florida’s State Parks, visit www.floridastateparks.org.
