Guest Speaker-Brooke Wiegel
Affiliation- Stanford University
Host- Patrick Martone
Title-Kelp forests in a changing ocean: physiology, microbiomes & carbon cycling
Location- MSL Theatre
Abstract: Climate change is threatening kelp forests, with 40-60% of kelp forests in decline globally. My research has identified critical temperature thresholds for growth, survival, and reproduction across the life cycle of kelp. Kelp blades harbor abundant and diverse microbial communities, which are also impacted by ocean warming. We will dive into the world of kelp microbiomes, looking at the factors that shape the assembly and composition, micron-scale spatial structure, and functional role of the kelp microbiome. Finally, kelp play an important role in the global carbon cycle by creating highly productive underwater forests that contribute to carbon sequestration – we will discuss key knowledge gaps in our understanding of carbon cycling in kelp forests.
Bio: Dr. Brooke Weigel is an Assistant Professor of Oceans at Stanford University, based at Hopkins Marine Station. Previously, she was a Kelp Conservation Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Washington’s Friday Harbor Labs and a National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow at Western Washington University. Brooke received her PhD from the University of Chicago, where she studied kelp forest ecology on Tatoosh Island, Washington.