Between the river and deep blue Gulf: The past and future of oysters in Florida’s Big Bend

February 18, 2012
Cedar Key Library

The University of Florida IFAS Shellfish Extension Program and Florida Sea Grant invite you to a presentation at the Cedar Key Library on Saturday, February 18 from 10:30 am to noon. The talk by Dr. Jennifer Seavey, a landscape ecologist with the Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation at the University of Florida (UF) in Gainesville, will focus on the analysis of oyster reef changes over time in the Big Bend.

Over the past two years, researchers from the UF, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and local fishermen have teamed up to study the health and population trends of oysters reefs. From Horseshoe Bay to Corrigan`s Reef, this team has been working to document not only the current health of oysters in our area, but also to examine how these oyster reefs have changed over time by examining aerial photos taken over the last 30 years.

Dr. Seavey`s work focuses on conservation biology and climate change ecology. She currently is working on a number of projects regarding climate change, sea-level rise, and biodiversity. Join us for an exploration of the factors that have sustained or may threaten the marine resources and landscapes of the Big Bend coast.

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