BIO

I am a Latina first-generation student, I was born in Caracas, Venezuela but currently reside in Orlando, FL. This is my first year involved in research and plan to continue for the next few years. My long-term goal is to become a physician and I’m currently in a pre-medical track.

Characterization of Deep-Sea Habitat Distribution on Two Seamounts of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument

Abstract

Biodiversity is essential for processes that support life on earth, without this one a large range of organisms would not be able to have ecosystems that provide essential sources to sustain human life. Our research showed the difference among seamounts that each one supports the diversity of ecosystems. Corals are an essential system of our oceans, they provide homes, food, and overall support for the well-being of marine life. Corals are common in transects with deeper depths and a higher presence of cobbles and boulders (Mortensen and Mortensen. 2004). Southeast Hancock would be more likely to sustain a coral ecosystem due to the higher levels of rugosity. While other types of organisms thrive in habitats with low rugosity and smaller substrate composition, where Brooks Bank has an advantage over these organisms. The Hawaiian Ridge and the Emperor Seamount Chain stretch across the North Pacific and support vast biodiversity. However, there is no legal mechanism that provides protection for some of these areas which are critical to the survival of these areas that are being harmed by human activity like trawling. The overall goal of our project as well as many other scientists is to determine the location of these patches to bring up to the United Nations to include as part of areas where human activity is not allowed to be able to protect such critical organisms.

Keywords: Seamounts, characterization, substrate