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Southeast Ecological Science Center

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The USGS DISCOVRE Project:
 Diversity, Systematics, and Connectivity of Vulnerable Reef Ecosystems

 The U.S. Geological Survey’s DISCOVRE project brings together a multi-disciplinary team to study the biology, ecology, and connectivity of deep-sea coral environments with the goal of providing the science necessary for their effective conservation and management.

DISCOVRE

Research Activities for Resource Management


crab on deep corals
Leetown Science Center		 Population Genetics
Using genetic tools to characterize local and regional patterns of deep reef connectivity.
deep-sea corals
Southeast Ecological Science Center		 Benthic Ecology
Characterizing the community structure and food webs of deep-sea coral and seep invertebrates.



microbial communities
St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center		 Microbial Ecology
Identifying and characterizing microbial communities associated with corals, at the base of the soft-sediment food webs, and in biofilms on hard substrates.
deep-sea corals
Pacific Coastal & Marine Science Center		 Paleoclimate
Using long-lived black corals as archives to determine the climate and ocean chemistry over hundreds to thousands of years.

What’s New:


New Website Features USGS Microbiology Research on Deep-sea Coral Ecosystems

Photo: Sampling Lophelia in the Gulf of Mexico. Photo credit: Christina Kellogg, USGS.
Think of coral reefs and you imagine warm, shallow tropical seas, not the cold, dark waters of the deep ocean. Now the deep ocean's best-kept secrets are being revealed - ancient coral ecosystems hidden from view at great depths. Lophelia.org is an information resource on the cold-water coral ecosystems of the deep ocean. An exciting new section on the microbiology of these corals has been added to the web site featuring content, photos, and video from USGS St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center scientist and coral microbiology expert, Christina Kellogg. View the site here.

Additional links: Coral Microbial Ecology: USGS Studies
USGS DISCOVRE Expedition

See Past Featured Topics > >

By design, the USGS DISCOVRE project is integrated with larger regional efforts involving the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and academic institutions.

Media Inquiries: Amanda Demopoulos, (352) 264-3490, amandad@usgs.gov

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Page Last Modified: Tuesday, 10-Apr-2012 10:33:10 EDT