SEMINAR: REWMINDER - TODAY - AOML Seminar -- 10:30 a.m. - Dr. Martin Thiel - “TRAVELLING THE SEVEN SEAS – THE, ECOLOGY OF RAFTING IN THE OCEANS”

["Aoml.Receptionist" <Aoml.Receptionist@noaa.gov>]

AOML Seminar

 

DATE:                Tuesday, November 22, 2011

TIME:                 10:30 a.m. – refreshments at

 10:15 a.m.

Location:     AOML First Floor

                            Conference Room

SPEAKER:         Dr. Martin Thiel

 Facultad Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Católica del Norte, 
 Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas Áridas (CEAZA) Coquimbo, Chile

TITLE:               “TRAVELLING THE SEVEN   SEAS – THE 
 ECOLOGY OF RAFTING IN THE OCEANS”

Abstract: Rafting on floating items remains one of the most enigmatic dispersal processes in the
world’s oceans. A wide diversity of organisms has been reported as rafters on floating items in the 
sea, primarily on floating macroalgae, wood, plastics and pumice. Different selective pressures on 

these main types of rafts affect the assemblage of species that is successfully dispersed by this mechanism. 
An extensive literature review showed that suspension-feeding invertebrates were most common on abiotic 

substrata (plastics and pumice), while grazers abounded on biotic substrata (macroalgae and wood). 
Sessile species dominated on abiotic substrata while many species on biotic substrata are mobile. It is 

concluded that the species more prone to become dispersed over long distances are those that feed on 
allochthonous food sources (leaving rafts intact) and that have direct development, because these traits 

facilitate species persistence on floating items. However, successful dispersal depends on the availability 
of rafting substrata which is driven by local supply, persistence at the sea surface, and wind and 

ocean currents. The global distribution of the different abiotic and biotic substrata varies in relatively 
predictable ways. Human activities are modifying supply and persistence at sea of some of these floating 

items. Changing distribution patterns of floating substrata will also affect dispersal of common rafters.