Courages corals | Summer School

COURAGEOUS CORALS

Professor Mike Bruton, imagineer

Monday 18 January < 1.00 pm < COURSE FEES R115; Staff and students R58

Coral reefs may look like underwater cities, but they are actually built by tiny, hardworking animals – reef-building corals – that have shaped some of the most vibrant ecosystems on Earth. In this lecture we dive into the world of these remarkable organisms and the rich marine life they support, from fish and crustaceans to countless other species that depend on reefs for food and shelter.

But these ecosystems are under serious threat. Climate change, rising ocean temperatures and ocean acidification are putting immense pressure on coral reefs worldwide, raising the risk of widespread collapse – and with it, a cascade of marine extinctions. In this lecture, we explore the latest findings on coral reef ecology and what’s at stake if we lose them.

Along the way, participants will discover some surprising insights – like how tiny coral larvae, drifting in the open ocean, can ‘listen’ for thriving, noisy reefs before choosing where to settle. Even more fascinating, coral conservationists are now playing the sounds of noisy reefs over damaged ‘quiet’ reefs to attract coral larvae to settle there and help the damaged reef to recover.

Blending urgency with wonder, this lecture offers a fresh, hopeful look at coral reefs – and what it will take to protect them.

Recommended reading

Mann-Lang, J. 2022. Curious Notions: Reflections of an Imagineer. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa, 77(2), p.169.

TO BOOK: https://www.webtickets.co.za/v2/performance.aspx?itemid=1602817161

Mike Bruton originally practised as an ichthyologist and aquatic ecologist before branching out into museum and science centre development. He has had a lifetime interest in the history of the bicycle and has mounted two travelling exhibitions on the topic. He is also the curator of the recently-established Trail’s End Bicycle Museum in Grabouw. In retirement he has focussed on public understanding of science and technology and has published numerous books on South African and African scientists and inventors.