10:50 a.m., Nov. 15, 2002--Mark Warner, University of Delaware assistant professor of marine biology-biochemistry, will present a lecture on “Coral Reefs: Trouble in Paradise?” from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 20, at the Hotel du Pont in Wilmington.

The lecture will kick off the fifth annual Wilmington Lunch and Lecture Series sponsored by UD’s College of Marine Studies and the Sea Grant College Program.

The lecture includes lunch at the award-winning Hotel du Pont. To reserve a seat, at $15 per person, call (302) 831-8062, or e-mail reservations to [MarineCom@udel.edu].

“Coral reefs are extremely important ecosystems,” Warner said. “They support local fisheries and economies, they contain valuable chemical compounds that may lead the way in the development of new medicines, and they also protect coastlines from damaging storms. However, despite their importance, the world’s coral reefs are being damaged at an alarming rate.”

Threats facing coral reefs today include over-fishing and destructive fishing practices, such as the use of cyanide to capture rare fish for aquariums and dynamiting reefs to capture fish. Coastal development has caused increased sedimentation and pollution in the water, which blocks the sunlight that reefs need to grow. In addition, thousands of pounds of live coral are mined for construction purposes every year.

“There is a lot of gloom and doom associated with coral reefs these days,” Warner said. “However, coral reefs, if treated properly, are very naturally resilient and have the ability to recover from stress. Some reefs, once written off as dead, are showing signs of recovery.”