Our Chief Scientist, Dr. Sam Purkis, returned to the Red Sea to participate in another OceanX research mission in the northern Red Sea and Gulf of Aqaba. The OceanX research mission complemented the foundation’s earlier work in the region, which we conducted 15 years ago. Whereas in 2007, the foundation focused on mapping the shallow-water reef systems of the northern Red Sea and setting a baseline for their health and vitality, the focus of the latest expedition was on the deep-water system, which extends from the mesophotic zone down to the abyssal plains of the Red Sea. This new focus allowed the underpinnings of the shallow-water reefs to be examined and shed light on the incredibly high diversity of reef morphology observed in the waters offshore Saudi Arabia. It also led to the discovery of the first brine pool discovered along the coast in the Gulf of Aqaba.
Connecting Ecosystems, Connecting People: How a Collaboration Brought Seagrass into the Spotlight
In marine ecology, we often think about ecosystems like coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrass beds as separate, distinct places. But much like the human body, these ecosystems are interconnected—each system plays a vital role in supporting the health of the others and the communities that depend on them. When we understand these connections, we start to see the bigger picture…
