Oyster Researcher Speaking in CCPO Seminar Series

Whitman Miller of the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center will speak about the effects on oyster development of increased carbon dioxide emissions as part of the spring seminar series of Old Dominion University's Center for Coastal Physical Oceanography at 3:30 p.m. Monday, April 6.

The talk in CCPO's Room 3200 in the Innovation Research Park@ODU Building 1 will be preceded by a reception with refreshments beginning at 3 p.m. The seminars in the series are free and open to the public.

Miller, who is assistant director of the Marine Invasions Research Laboratory and director of the National Ballast Information Clearinghouse, has done research in recent years on biological and ecological effects of carbon dioxide-induced acidification in coastal habitats.

At CCPO he will present research showing how increased atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide absorbed into marine environments could in coming decades affect oyster growth and shell calcium content. He used Eastern as well as Suminoe oysters in his experiments.