The importance of eelgrass in oceans around the world and the role it plays in genetic diversity of ocean life was the focus of a lecture on the Keene State college campus last night. Biology professor Dr. Cynthia Hays discussed the importance of eelgrass to coastal ecosystems, what can be done to preserve it, how students can be involved with her research, along with her plans for future research.
Dr. Hays, who studied at Duke, Florida State and the University of California at Santa Cruz defines herself as an evolutionary ecologist. When she was choosing what area to study after graduating, she had the choice between doing experiments with animals or plants. Hays said “I went with the plant option because I found the animal experiments to be slightly unethical.” This choice allowed for Dr. Hays to discover the importance of eelgrass, and gave her a focus for all her future research.
Eelgrass has many positive qualities that benefit the world’s oceans. Eelgrass is considered a foundation species, meaning it supports diverse and species rich communities. Eelgrass is also a nursery habitat, and many invertebrate species rely on the structure of the sea grass. Species that call eelgrass home are striped bass, winter flounder, and blue fish among several others.
The roots and rhizomes found in the eelgrass stabilize sediments in the ocean and prevent shoreline erosion, which has become a prominent issue over the years.
Recently, there has been an increasing loss of sea grass, which is dangerous for the shorelines and coastal ecosystems around the world. Dr. Hays said that water quality and pollution are the main cause of deterioration of eelgrass. “If we continue to pollute our oceans the way we are, we won’t have much eelgrass left, which would lead to massive shoreline erosion and the loss of many animal species,” said Dr. Hays.
Some of Dr. Hay’s current and former students attended the presentation last night. Despite having a class with Dr. Hays there was still something for the students to learn from the presentation. One student, Simone McEwan said, “Dr. Hays doesn’t often go into great detail about her research in class, so it was cool to see her talk about it and become so passionate about it during this lecture, I didn’t know how important eelgrass is for the ecosystem.”
Dr. Hays has had many students over the years that have
helped with her research, and have later gone on to do
their own research as well. When Dr. Hays has a good
amount of funding she is able to employ three to four
students. When the funding isn’t as much, Hays can
employ one to two students to help conduct her
research. Dr. Hays considers biology research “team
based” and encouraged the audience that if they wanted to get involved with her research to contact her through email or stop by her office.
Dr. Hays was recently award a $250,000 National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to help fund her future eelgrass research. Hays plans to use this money to follow sea grass from the point of fertilization all the way to adulthood, to understand the complex ways in which eel grass reproduces. By doing this, Hays will be able to discover if the way in which eel grass reproduces and grows contributes to its ability to house such a wide range of species. Dr. Hays will also use some of this money to find ways to replenish and restore some of the eel grass that is dying through artificially growing it in a lab setting.
Dr. Hays, who studied at Duke, Florida State and the University of California at Santa Cruz defines herself as an evolutionary ecologist. When she was choosing what area to study after graduating, she had the choice between doing experiments with animals or plants. Hays said “I went with the plant option because I found the animal experiments to be slightly unethical.” This choice allowed for Dr. Hays to discover the importance of eelgrass, and gave her a focus for all her future research.
Eelgrass has many positive qualities that benefit the world’s oceans. Eelgrass is considered a foundation species, meaning it supports diverse and species rich communities. Eelgrass is also a nursery habitat, and many invertebrate species rely on the structure of the sea grass. Species that call eelgrass home are striped bass, winter flounder, and blue fish among several others.
The roots and rhizomes found in the eelgrass stabilize sediments in the ocean and prevent shoreline erosion, which has become a prominent issue over the years.
Recently, there has been an increasing loss of sea grass, which is dangerous for the shorelines and coastal ecosystems around the world. Dr. Hays said that water quality and pollution are the main cause of deterioration of eelgrass. “If we continue to pollute our oceans the way we are, we won’t have much eelgrass left, which would lead to massive shoreline erosion and the loss of many animal species,” said Dr. Hays.
Some of Dr. Hay’s current and former students attended the presentation last night. Despite having a class with Dr. Hays there was still something for the students to learn from the presentation. One student, Simone McEwan said, “Dr. Hays doesn’t often go into great detail about her research in class, so it was cool to see her talk about it and become so passionate about it during this lecture, I didn’t know how important eelgrass is for the ecosystem.”
Dr. Hays has had many students over the years that have
helped with her research, and have later gone on to do
their own research as well. When Dr. Hays has a good
amount of funding she is able to employ three to four
students. When the funding isn’t as much, Hays can
employ one to two students to help conduct her
research. Dr. Hays considers biology research “team
based” and encouraged the audience that if they wanted to get involved with her research to contact her through email or stop by her office.
Dr. Hays was recently award a $250,000 National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to help fund her future eelgrass research. Hays plans to use this money to follow sea grass from the point of fertilization all the way to adulthood, to understand the complex ways in which eel grass reproduces. By doing this, Hays will be able to discover if the way in which eel grass reproduces and grows contributes to its ability to house such a wide range of species. Dr. Hays will also use some of this money to find ways to replenish and restore some of the eel grass that is dying through artificially growing it in a lab setting.