Marine Biologist David Hudson will speak on “Long Island Sound and Beyond: Ecosystem and Resilience,” at The Retired Men’s Association of Greenwich (RMA) meeting Wednesday, Jan. 2 at 11 a.m. the program takes place at the First Presbyterian Church, 1 West Putnam Ave.
The impact of climate change on the oceans is as significant, if not as visible, as anywhere on the planet. It affects temperatures, currents, sea levels, and the ecology of the oceans.
Hudson will discuss the current challenges facing Long Island Sound and other regional and global ecosystems. In particular, he will consider how the common animals one encounters in the area are changing as distributions change. He will explore the Long Island Sound’s history and future and the actions that individual citizens can undertake to improve its condition. Additionally, he will discuss what The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk aims to accomplish in conservation and research.
Hudson is the research scientist at The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk, directing the research and conservation program. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Connecticut and spent time in Bogotá, Colombia as a U.S. Student Fulbright Fellow. His research uses the behavior and physiology of crustaceans and fish to determine the effects of changes in the physical environment (temperature, salinity, sound, etc.) on distributions, survival, and ecology of marine and aquatic organisms. He is also interested in how changing human behaviors impact the survival of species, and how aquaculture can be used to augment food security, economic security, and conservation of marine and aquatic animals.
Hudson serves as a member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Species Survival Commission freshwater crustacean specialist group and as an advisor to the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) Aquatic Invertebrate Taxon Advisory Group, focusing on applying his experience with assessing stress in invertebrates and invertebrate physiology to questions of animal husbandry and welfare. He and his wife are avid skiers and SCUBA divers and reside in Norwalk with their two children.
For more information, contact info@greenwichrma.org or visit greenwichrma.org
