Kategorie: News
Extra Divers Science Days 2023 with Ralph Schill
A coral reef is one of the most fascinating and diverse underwater habitats. The biodiversity of coral reefs and the underwater world of the Red Sea in general will be the focus of Extra Divers Science Days 2023 from July 6 - 13, 2023 at Mövenpick Resort El Quseir.
Many studies of reef ecology focus on the composition of stony corals and fish species, but much of the diversity lies in the hidden communities hidden within the cavities of coral reefs, one of the most fascinating and diverse habitats.
The surface area of the hidden reef cavities exceeds that of the exposed reefs by up to eight times and is home primarily to bryozoans, snails and tubeworms. When algae-gnawing fish such as parrotfish or diadem sea urchins then nibble at the reef surface, and borer shells and boring sponges bore deep into the calcareous skeletons, at some point fine, white coral sand remains and a whole new habitat is created on the seabed - the sand gap system. The Kiel marine scientist Adolf Remane first described this "sand gap fauna," also called mesopsammon (Greek mesos = the middle; psammos = the sand), in detail for the Baltic Sea 90 years ago.
Red sea moses soles (Pardachirus marmoratus) lie on the coral sand flats in El Quadim Bay, and the bizarre pairs of Pegasidae move across them on their ventral fins. Amblyeleotris, marble snake eels and Gorgasia sillneri (red sea eels) peek their heads out of the sandy areas and, in case of danger, jerkily retreat underground. A true universe opens up, however, when we venture a glimpse into the sand gap system. As narrow as this habitat may seem at first glance, in a 10-liter bucket full of sand there are about 3 liters of hollow space and in it scurry thousands of tiny little nematodes, snails, crabs, foraminifera and tardigrades. The latter look like little bears with extremely long body appendages and adhesive organs on their eight legs, which they use to climb around on individual grains of sand. More than 40 years ago, these fascinating animals were last found along the Red Sea coast by a Danish scientist.
At the Science-Days, divers will get an overview of which new animals have been discovered in the Red Sea in recent years; how new animals are named and what they are called; the species of fish found in the bay; why corals, sponges, crabs and fish glow red during the day even in deep water without a diving lamp; how a coral reef is formed and then degraded; about the secrets of the sandy bottom habitat and the sand gap system and what reef protection has to do with 3D printers. The Science Days are also hands-on and those who want can discover the microcosm in the Red Sea with mini-microscopes; do fluorescent dives at night, but also during lunchtime; learn what it means to live under pressure; create a 3D model of a reef block; and build a coral reef.
The Extra Divers Science Days will take place in the relaxed atmosphere of the Mövenpick Hotel (which is certified with the TUI Environment Champion Award and the Green Globe seal of approval for environmentally friendly hotel operations) and the Extra Divers dive center El Quseir,. Together with the marine biologist Prof. Dr. Ralph Schill and the diving team of Extra Divers, the diving guests embark on an exciting adventure trip to the Red Sea. Thus the dipping vacation becomes a knowledge vacation of the completely special kind.
INFO & BOOKING:
quseir@extradivers.org or with your dive tour operator.
Advance booking recommended!
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Extra Divers Science Days 2023