What we do
The Cryptic Yellow-Spotted Scorpionfish
As I plunged into the water for my last dive of the day on the western tip of Cook Reef in New Caledonia I was greeted by the sight of many different types of fishes. Along with my dive buddy …
Marine Habitats as a Component of Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the diversity of life from genes to ecosystems. Somewhere between these two extremes are habitats. Habitats are, simply speaking, an area where flora and fauna settle, live, feed, reproduce and die. More formally, marine habitats can be defined …
What’s On the Menu: Sunlight, Plankton or Organic Debris?
What Does Coral Eat? While it is widely known that tropical corals have the ability to grow and prosper, thanks to the small algae (zooxanthellae) present in their tissue that capture light energy and make food through photosynthesis, corals are …
PVC Paparazzi
My role on the LOF expeditions in the Pacific has been underwater photography. In addition to being on the lookout for interesting or beautiful subjects for the Facebook photo gallery or to illustrate blog postings, my primary duty is to …
Hitchhiker on the High Seas
Today is transit day. The Golden Shadow is moving from Prony Bay, at the southern end of the main island (Grande Terre) of New Caledonia to Cook Reef in the north. It is a day for all the scientists to …
Red Reefs
At the southern end of Grande Terre, is Prony Bay, a large sheltered bay at the convergence of the open ocean and two larger streams that drain the surrounding mountains and hillsides. The terrain here is unusual: dark red earth …
Solomon Islands
We hope to be working in the Solomon Islands next year. Here’s something for us to look out for.
The Man-Eaters
South Pacific legends describe giant clams as man-eaters. The largest of all molluscs, giant clams, were once thought to be voracious predators that wait patiently on the seafloor to trap an unsuspecting swimmer. It’s no wonder with a life span …
Natures Cement – A Tale of Two Dives
With wind and swell building from the south and east, we identified two relatively sheltered sites north of Ile des Pins for the morning surveys. Ominous rain clouds were building in the sky to the east, but we were glad …