July 20, 2024 – It’s Okay To Be Shellfish

Shellfish (bivalves or mollusks) are essential to a healthy marine ecosystem. Shellfish are filter feeders that eat many algae species, helping to clarify our waters. Further, by eating the algae that live off of the consumption of nutrients, such as nitrogen, shellfish also help keep our waters healthy. In addition to their environmental benefits, shellfish are also delicious and are both caught and grown for humans to eat, which helps support our local economies.

Photo credit: Emmanuelle Pales Espinosa

June15, 2024 – Using AI to identify HAB around Long Island

Antoinette Clemetson, New York Sea Grant. Learn about harmful algae that regularly bloom around long island and how artificial intelligence and a tiny microscope can help detect quickly and easily these algae.

https://seagrant.sunysb.edu/articles/t/nysg-staff-profiles-antoinette-clemetson

June 1st, 2024 – Choosing Fish Wisely

Maureen Murphy, Stony Brook University. The story of mercury in the environment is complex. But the story is also fascinating in that mercury is a naturally occurring element. The story includes intriguing science on how mercury enters into the ecosystem and how it is transformed to more toxic forms by microorganisms, how it biomagnifies in the food chain, how that translates to levels of methylmercury in different fish species, and ultimately how it ends up inside of us. Meet with the project coordinator of The Gelfond Fund for Mercury Research & Outreach and learn about mercury cycles.

April 20, 2020 – Why Long Island scallops are dying?
Sivanna Trainer, Stony Brook University. Come join us to learn about the wonders of shellfish disease,
especially the parasite impacting our scallops on Long Island. The Marine Animal Disease Lab at
Stony Brook has been working diligently to learn about this parasite and how it impacts scallop health
with changing environmental conditions. Take a look through the microscope or mix/match scallop
shells and learn something new!

Photo credit: E. Pales Espinosa

March 23, 2024 – Sponges & Bryozoans of Long Island
Robert Thacker, Stony Brook University. Learn about the variety of sponges and bryozoans that live on Long Island. These sessile animals are part of a diverse community of benthic invertebrates found on our shoreline. We will explore how to identify these species and how they feed on phytoplankton and detritus.

Red Beard Sponge

Photo credit: Stephen Witzig, https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/81782-Clathria-prolifera