MAY SPEAKER: Krista Laforest, Coral Spawning Research
CORAL SPAWNING: THE FINAL FRONTER OF REEF CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION
Coral reefs are a valuable ecosystem teeming with marine life, but facing threats that could eliminate half of the world's reefs in the next few decades. Once a year, a phenomenon known as mass coral spawning takes place on the reefs at night. These spawning events help create offspring that can allow reefs to recover naturally.
Please join SFDI on May 6th as we hear from coral spawning expert Krista LaForest, who will discuss coral reproduction, the challenges and triumphs of spawning research, and the path forward. This presentation will be live on Zoom.
Coral Spawning
Krista Laforest
ABOUT KRISTA LAFOREST
Krista Laforest grew up diving in New England, however her current work focuses on coral research in Florida and the broader Caribbean, including Bonaire and Panama. She has 7 years of coral restoration experience outplanting corals, assessing coral health, and, most notably, monitoring coral spawning both in the wild and in land-based coral production facilities. Currently, Krista is pursuing her Ph.D. at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, focusing on the effects of climate change on Caribbean coral reproduction. A proud member of the Boston Sea Rovers and Explorers Club, she has published multiple scientific papers and restoration documents utilized in both the Caribbean and Indo-Pacific reefs.
