Facing Florida’s Future

Interested in learning about important Earth system issues – air, water, land, and life – affecting the future of our state? Look no further than the past as the Florida Museum of Natural History presents three talks with scientists sharing how their work with fossil shells, shells from archaeology sites, and shells of modern-day help us understand today’s environmental challenges.

Shells: Scribes of the Sea

The importance of Southwest Florida’s shellfish fisheries is as important today as it was in the past. But with increased growth along the coast, our shellfish fisheries and the ecosystems that support them are under great pressure. Betty’s work in Southwest Florida focuses on developing programs that help to sustain coastal ecosystems through outreach and citizen science. She will discuss some of our recreationally and commercially important shellfish species, including southwest Florida’s aquacultured bivalves. We’ll explore water quality benefits of bivalve shellfish, how different species respond to changing environmental conditions, and citizen science efforts related to preserving and restoring shellfish populations, as well as the seagrass habitats that support them.

Speaker

Betty Staugler has been a faculty member of UF/IFAS Extension and Sea Grant since 2004. She currently serves as a Sea Grant Agent in Charlotte County, Florida and liaison to NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, Harmful Algal Bloom Forecasting branch. As a Florida Sea Grant Agent, her work involves developing comprehensive marine and natural resource educational programs that focus on sustainable coastal communities and habitat/water quality issues. As liaison to NOAA, Betty coordinates knowledge and use of current research, products, and tools that address harmful algal bloom issues in the Gulf of Mexico. Betty holds an MS in Environmental Science with a focus on Marine and Ecological Sciences from Florida Gulf Coast University.

Virtual Webinar

Betty Staugler will present live via Zoom.

Shell Series Talks

Betty is the third of three speakers in this Shells series. Our Facing Florida’s Future program will continue bringing speaker series in collaboration with community partners. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive notification and registration links for upcoming events.

Partners

The Shell Point Retirement Community is our collaborator for the Shells series co-hosted by the Randell Research Center and the UF Thompson Earth Systems Institute.