Nicholas Talks -- Spring 2009
         an online collection of lectures about environmental issues and solutions
         brought to you by Duke University's Nicholas School of the Environment
         and Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions.

         

Jan. 16 - "Coral Reefs - Canary in the Environmental Coal Mine?"

In her talk, Dr. Nancy Knowlton explains why she thinks the answer to her title question is "yes". Knowlton is the Sant Chair in Marine Science at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History. Her research focuses on the ecology, evolution and conservation of coral reef organisms, and has taken her to the Caribbean, Brazil, the eastern Atlantic, and the Indo-west and central Pacific. Her analyses have led to the widespread recognition that estimates of marine diversity are probably too low by a factor of ten.
Knowlton serves on the National Geographic Society's Committee on Research and Exploration and conservation Trust Committee, chiars the World Bank's Targeted Research Program for Coral Reefs, is the principle investigator of the Census of Marine Life's Coral Reef Initiative, and is an Associate Editor for the Annual Review of Marine Science. She is also an elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and an Aldo Leopold Fellow.

Presented by the University Program in Ecology Seminar Series