Salty Topics

Marine Algae: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Join us for "Salty Topics", Pinellas County Sea Grant Extension sponsored Marine Science Speaker series at Weedon Island Preserve Cultural and Natural History Center. 

Marine algae form the base of the food web in the ocean and produce nearly half of the world’s oxygen.  They are also extremely diverse, ranging widely in size (from micro- to macroscopic), color (not just green!) and function (from plant to animal).  Some algae species are considered harmful because of their sheer number during a “bloom” or because they produce toxins or other substances.  During this talk, Dr. Alina Corcoran will guide you through the algal world, highlighting the value of algae to ecosystems and people and presenting current work on the Florida Red Tide and other Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs).  She will also share photos of her favorite species – some that live in glass houses and others that glow in the dark. 

Dr. Corcoran earned a B.A. in Biology at Boston University, M.S. in Marine Science at the University of Alabama and Ph.D. in Biology at the University of California Los Angeles.  After completing a post-doctoral position focused on algal biofuel, Alina joined the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, where she currently oversees the Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) program.

We are happy to host the series at Weedon Island Cultural and Natural History Center at 1800 Weedon Drive NE, St Petersburg, FL 33702, with refreshments donated from the Friends of Weedon Island (http://fowi.org).
 
6:45 p.m.   Light Refreshments

7:00 p.m.   Salty Topics

For more information please contact Libby Carnahan at (727) 453-6522

Reservation policy

Before continuing, we would like to make you aware of our reservation policies. Cancellations - If your class is canceled for any reason you will be notified no less than 24 hours prior to class start. We will provide a full refund for cancellations made by Pinellas County Extension. Refunds may take up to 30 days to process. Payment - We require full payment at time of reservation so be prepared with a credit card to complete this transaction. Refunds - Refunds will be made in the event of a class cancellation or if the registrant requests a refund 24 hours prior to the class time. Reservations - You must be 18 to make a reservation. If you are under 18 and want to attend a class you must register and attend with a parent or guardian.

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information, and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions, or affiliations. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A&M University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating.