OLD LYME — A small but mighty single cell organism, plankton, pictured above, is the base of the marine food web.
Dr. Hans Dam
In a free lecture presented by the Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center on April 29 at 6 p.m. via Zoom, Hans Dam, Ph.D., Professor in the Department of Marine Sciences at the University of Connecticut, will speak about the evolutionary ecology of plankton and its vulnerability to climate change. His lecture is titled, The Secret Life of Plankton: The Base of the Marine Food Web.
Register to obtain the Zoom link for the presentation at ctaudubon.org/
Dr. Dam is a biological oceanographer interested in the ecology and evolution of planktonic organisms: the tiny creatures that control the biology of the sea.
He will describe the macro-power of these microorganisms and help attendees to improve their understanding of the invisible life teeming in a tablespoon of river or Sound water.
Dr. Dam’s current research focuses on how copepods, the most abundant animals on Earth, adapt to the ocean’s warming and acidification.
Another area of his work is the evolutionary “arms race” between grazers and toxic plants.
Dr. Dam has published more than 100 papers and trained a generation of oceanographers. He has also spent 20 years advising the State of Connecticut about water quality in Long Island Sound.
Included with participation in the lecture is a special offer: a dinner available for pick-up on the day of the event prepared by renowned chef Ani Robaina, formerly chef at the Microsoft Conference Center and the Pond House in Hartford and currently owner and chef at Ani’s Table. The cost is $75.
This is the third and final presentation in The Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center’s Connecticut River Lecture Series, now celebrating its seventh year with presentations that feature prominent scientists focusing on critical environmental issues. Named for the internationally and locally renowned artist, scientific illustrator, environmental educator, and conservation advocate, the Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center is known for its work in environmental education, conservation, research, and advocacy.
For the past year and continuing in 2021, the Center has served young people and adults across the region with small group programs like bird walks and owl prowls, virtual CT River ecology and other courses, seasonal nature crafts and activities for kids via Zoom, as well as an upcoming multi-disciplinary, summer camp program.
More information is available at https://www.ctaudubon.org/
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