Dr. Voss, PhD Candidate Michael Studivan, Masters Student Jennifer Polinski, and HBOI CIOERT colleague John Reed (HBOI) depart today for a six-day research cruise in the Gulf of Mexico at the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. Our team will include FGBNMS researchers and UNCW ROV pilots, building on our previous projects and collaborations in the Flower Gardens. We look forward to working once again with the very capable crew aboard the R/V Manta, an aluminum catamaran capable of 40+ knots.
Our mission goals are threefold: (1) to collect shallow Montastraea cavernosa and Agaricia spp. for population genetics, skeletal morphology, and symbiont analyses at East and West Flower Garden Banks, (2) to map, survey, and characterize benthic communities at McGrail Bank, and (3) to look for suitable sites for Michael’s mesophotic reciprocal transplant experiment. To accomplish these goals, we will be conducting SCUBA ops and using the Mohawk ROV. There will be no internet once at sea, but check back for blog updates once we get back next Thursday!
Our mission goals are threefold: (1) to collect shallow Montastraea cavernosa and Agaricia spp. for population genetics, skeletal morphology, and symbiont analyses at East and West Flower Garden Banks, (2) to map, survey, and characterize benthic communities at McGrail Bank, and (3) to look for suitable sites for Michael’s mesophotic reciprocal transplant experiment. To accomplish these goals, we will be conducting SCUBA ops and using the Mohawk ROV. There will be no internet once at sea, but check back for blog updates once we get back next Thursday!
R/V Manta
