A seminar series focusing on sustainability and environmental impact.
Date: Monday, May 6 2024
Time: 4 pm to 6 pm
Venue: 1880 Members Club, Level 3, 1 Nanson Road, Singapore 238909 Registration: https://greeneconomy2.eventbrite.sg
Seagrass, an ancient marine ecosystem originating from terrestrial grass over 70 million years ago, stands as one of the planet’s most diverse and crucial ecosystems.
Its significance lies in its many-sided contributions: combatting climate change, ensuring food security, protecting coastlines, providing nursery grounds, enriching biodiversity, and filtering water, to name but a few.
Seagrass meadows, characterised by expanses of green, grass-like shoots and flowers, offer a powerful nature-based solution to climate change.
Despite covering a mere 0.1% of the ocean floor, they sustain coastal communities and bolster ocean biodiversity. However, seagrass habitats face imminent peril, and are experiencing a decline globally since the 1930s.
Currently, 7% of seagrass habitat is lost annually, underscoring the urgent need for conservation efforts to preserve this invaluable ecosystem.
About the speaker:
Professor Jennifer Verduin is a keen oceanographer with a passion for seagrass ecosystems. One of the key reasons that attracts Jennifer to the field of oceanography is its interdisciplinary nature, which allows her to explore various aspects of the marine environment.
Professor Verduin has a particular interest in the interface between physics and biology. She has developed a deep understanding of the effects of coastal hydrodynamics on benthic vegetation and structures.
Her research encompasses the study of physical processes that shape seagrass habitats, such as water flow and sediment transport as well as climate trends and implications, and how these processes interact with biological processes that support seagrass growth and reproduction in coastal marine environments.
Aside from Professor Jennifer Verduin’s research, she is also an enthusiastic educator and an advocate for hands-on learning. Recognising the practical applications of oceanography, she strives to provide students with engaging educational experiences.
At Murdoch, she teaches an oceanography unit on a tall ship, utilising the interdisciplinary nature of the field to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the ocean. This approach allows students to not only learn about the physical and biological processes that shape the ocean, but also gain an appreciation for the historical, cultural, and social aspects of oceanography.
Past speakers include: