Thursday Roundtable: Dr. Becky Vega Thurber: The Around the Island Project: Holistic and high spatial scale biodiversity dynamics across Moorea’s lagoon
0 views
Skip to first unread message
Marty Downs
Oct 14, 2025, 4:27:12 PM (3 days ago) Oct 14
to round...@nceas.ucsb.edu
Dear NCEAS Community,
Mark your calendar for our upcoming Roundtable! This Thursday, Becky Vega Thurber presents “The Around the Island Project: Holistic and high spatial scale biodiversity dynamics across Moorea’s lagoon”
When: Thursday, October 16, at Noon
Where: NCEAS (1021 Anacapa Street), 3rd-floor lounge
Join us virtually by connecting to:
https://ucsb.zoom.us/j/468789779?pwd=aklaUWYrNkNHMDduY2xEWDFyWU03Zz09
Abstract
Observations of regional heterogeneity in the MCR time series as well as insights from reef bleaching and nutrient pattens motivated our team to deeply explore the dynamics and regional variability of multiple levels of biological complexity, from microbial diversity to macroscale benthic community members. In the Around the Island Project we have surveyed, analyzed, and here interpreted spatial and habitat differences in bacterial, invertebrate, fish, and macroalgae biodiversity measures synoptic with numerous biogeochemical parameters, climate and weather information, as well as land use data for 5 years at 200 sites. These data measures were derived from multiple methodologies for comparison and benchmarking and to inform future monitoring programs aimed at capturing complex dynamics across an entire ecosystem. In this talk we will present 4 years of these data with emphasis on the bacterial, fish, and benthic community dynamics and how they might relate to potential restoration, regeneration, and conservation outcomes for Moorea’s coral reefs.
About the Speaker
Dr. Rebecca Vega Thurber is a Professor of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology and the Director of the Marine Science Institute at UC Santa Barbara. Her lab investigates the role and dynamics of bacteria and viruses in threatened hosts and habitats in order to better understand and mitigate or prevent the proximate causes of disease, habitat degradation, and ecosystem alteration. She is currently a Senior Editor of the flagship journal The International Society for Microbial Ecology Journal (ISMEJ) and the Editor and Chief of the new fully free journal Open Advances in Marine Biology, PeerJ. Dr. Vega Thurber is committed to communicating science to broader audiences including the production of a multilingual cartoon series and a full-length documentary on coral reef decline entitled, Saving Atlantis.
Find all the details of this event on the attached flyer
---
Marty Downs (she/her) why pronouns? | ORCID
Director, LTER Network Office
National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis
University of California - Santa Barbara
LTER Network Web Site
LTER Network News | LTER Discussion Forum
| LTER Zotero |
617-833-7930 (m)
Schedule a meeting with me
~~My work hours may not be your work hours.
I don't expect a reply during off-hours.~~
Mark your calendar for our upcoming Roundtable! This Thursday, Becky Vega Thurber presents “The Around the Island Project: Holistic and high spatial scale biodiversity dynamics across Moorea’s lagoon”
When: Thursday, October 16, at Noon
Where: NCEAS (1021 Anacapa Street), 3rd-floor lounge
Join us virtually by connecting to:
https://ucsb.zoom.us/j/468789779?pwd=aklaUWYrNkNHMDduY2xEWDFyWU03Zz09
Abstract
Observations of regional heterogeneity in the MCR time series as well as insights from reef bleaching and nutrient pattens motivated our team to deeply explore the dynamics and regional variability of multiple levels of biological complexity, from microbial diversity to macroscale benthic community members. In the Around the Island Project we have surveyed, analyzed, and here interpreted spatial and habitat differences in bacterial, invertebrate, fish, and macroalgae biodiversity measures synoptic with numerous biogeochemical parameters, climate and weather information, as well as land use data for 5 years at 200 sites. These data measures were derived from multiple methodologies for comparison and benchmarking and to inform future monitoring programs aimed at capturing complex dynamics across an entire ecosystem. In this talk we will present 4 years of these data with emphasis on the bacterial, fish, and benthic community dynamics and how they might relate to potential restoration, regeneration, and conservation outcomes for Moorea’s coral reefs.
About the Speaker
Dr. Rebecca Vega Thurber is a Professor of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology and the Director of the Marine Science Institute at UC Santa Barbara. Her lab investigates the role and dynamics of bacteria and viruses in threatened hosts and habitats in order to better understand and mitigate or prevent the proximate causes of disease, habitat degradation, and ecosystem alteration. She is currently a Senior Editor of the flagship journal The International Society for Microbial Ecology Journal (ISMEJ) and the Editor and Chief of the new fully free journal Open Advances in Marine Biology, PeerJ. Dr. Vega Thurber is committed to communicating science to broader audiences including the production of a multilingual cartoon series and a full-length documentary on coral reef decline entitled, Saving Atlantis.
Find all the details of this event on the attached flyer
---
Marty Downs (she/her) why pronouns? | ORCID
Director, LTER Network Office
National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis
University of California - Santa Barbara
LTER Network Web Site
LTER Network News | LTER Discussion Forum
| LTER Zotero |
617-833-7930 (m)
Schedule a meeting with me
~~My work hours may not be your work hours.
I don't expect a reply during off-hours.~~
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages