past projects

Dr. Jessica Bleuel, visiting Post-doctoral Researcher

In celebration of World Ocean Day 2025 and its theme “Wonder: Sustaining What Sustains Us”, this lecture highlights the ecological importance and delicate beauty of coral reefs, with a focus on how reef-building corals reproduce. Although reefs cover less than 1% of the ocean floor, they support more than 25% of marine life and provide vital services such as food, shelter, coastal protection, and biomedical resources. Coral reproduction is essential for reef renewal and long-term resilience. However, rising ocean temperatures and marine heatwaves are leading to widespread bleaching, which weakens corals, reduces their ability to reproduce, and increases mortality. Without healthy and reproducing corals, entire reef ecosystems and the benefits they provide are at risk of collapse.

About the speaker:

Jessica Bleuel is a coral reef ecologist conducting postdoctoral research at the Institute of Marine Sciences (LABOMAR) and the Marine Ecology Lab (LECOM) in Brazil, as well as at the Central Caribbean Marine Institute (CCMI) in Little Cayman. Her research focuses on how thermal stress affects coral ecophysiology and how corals respond to changes in light, nutrients, and temperature. She is currently investigating the effects of rising ocean temperatures on coral reproduction, using Favia species from the Caribbean and Brazil as model organisms.

With thanks to CCMI’s 2025 Healthy Reefs Sponsors: Wheaton Precious Metals International, Fosters Supermarket, Cayman Islands Department of Tourism, Cayman Water, Knighthead and Ambassadors of the Environment, The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman.

Presented at Ambassadors of the Environment on 18 June 2025.