Liverpool Science Talks

Due to reorganisation, The British Science Association no longer has regional branches. We are hoping to replace SciBar with a new event at The Ship & Mitre.

[Liverpool Science Talks @LivSciTalks]

@LiverpoolBSA is now @LivSciTalks

[Liverpool Neuroscience Group (BlueSky @lng.org.uk) @LNeuroscience]

Hi @NeuroChampions @PsychBangor @WaltonCentre @LivNeuroSoc @PsychLiverpool @PainReliefteam @EdgeHill_Psych @LHUPsychSociety @LJMUPsych @LJMUSportSci @LiverpoolBSA @LpoolSciencePrk @ResearchPain, want to help bring the Festival of Neuroscience to Liverpool in 2023? Vote Liverpool!

[Liverpool Science Talks @LivSciTalks]

@Defnetmedia Thank you! Hopefully scibar will continue in some capacity. Keep your eyes peeled for more news!

[Liverpool Science Talks @LivSciTalks]

The teams that study cold water corals have a ship and remotely operated vehicle. They study the corals, water composition and things like stable isotopes #scibar #coral @Theshipandmitre

[Liverpool Science Talks @LivSciTalks]

One thing that could control distribution of cold water reefs is the distribution of fatty acids. These cannot be synthesised so an abundance of them would be very beneficial #scibar #coral @Theshipandmitre

[Liverpool Science Talks @LivSciTalks]

There are various currents which 'cascade' water over cold water reefs and concentrate organic particles over the areas enabling them to grow even if the substrate isn't ideal #scibar #coral @Theshipandmitre

[Liverpool Science Talks @LivSciTalks]

Currents can have an impact on where cold water reefs can grow. Too strong a current would be just as bad as too weak #scibar #coral @Theshipandmitre

[Liverpool Science Talks @LivSciTalks]

Some cold water corals can grow on sandy substrates unlike hot water ones. This is quite unusual #scibar #coral @Theshipandmitre

[Liverpool Science Talks @LivSciTalks]

Cold water corals need something to attach to just like hot water ones. The distribution of this substrate is very important #scibar #coral @Theshipandmitre

[Liverpool Science Talks @LivSciTalks]

Part 2 is about to begin and Kostas is going to start with the global distribution of cold water coral reefs. There is a high density of reefs in the NE Atlantic. However this could just reflect a bias in mapping #scibar #coral @Theshipandmitre

[Liverpool Science Talks @LivSciTalks]

Important announcement time. Tonight is the last scibar we will have for a while. Keep your eyes on the Facebook page and here and more info will follow

[Liverpool Science Talks @LivSciTalks]

Ocean temperature increase has now been measured down to 700m. This is well within the depth range of cold water corals. The temperature increase is likely to increase their energy demands but they may not be able to keep up with this #scibar #coral @Theshipandmitre

[Liverpool Science Talks @LivSciTalks]

Ocean acidification means that corals cannot create the exoskeletons they need to survive and grow #scibar #coral @Theshipandmitre

[Liverpool Science Talks @LivSciTalks]

10 years after the MPA was set up on Darwin Mounds there had been no more damage but there had also been no recovery. #scibar #coral @Theshipandmitre

[Liverpool Science Talks @LivSciTalks]

One way to protect cold water coral reefs is to declare them marine protected areas or MPAs. The Darwin Mounds are off the north west coast of Scotland and they are in an MPA. Despite that they have still been trawled. #scibar #coral @Theshipandmitre

[Liverpool Science Talks @LivSciTalks]

Threats to cold water reefs include hydrocarbon exploration and production, pollution, global warming and bottom trawling. The last one is the most worrying and destructive. #scibar #coral @Theshipandmitre

[Liverpool Science Talks @LivSciTalks]

The threats to cold water coral reefs are many and they are very vulnerable. They take much longer to regrow and are slow to reproduce and become sexually mature @Theshipandmitre #scibar #coral

[Liverpool Science Talks @LivSciTalks]

Why care about cold water coral reefs? Commercial fish species use them as nurseries, they are hotspots for carbon recycling and there is potential for new medicines #scibar #coral @Theshipandmitre

[Liverpool Science Talks @LivSciTalks]

The biggest cold water reef is Røst reef in Norway and it is 35km long and 3km wide. Cold water reefs are incredibly diverse ecosystems just the same as tropical reef systems #scibar #coral @Theshipandmitre

[Liverpool Science Talks @LivSciTalks]

Deep coral reefs were first described by Linneaus in the 18th century but they were considered oddities. It was thought that they could not exist due to unfavourable chemistry and energy limitations #scibar #coral @Theshipandmitre