 CORAL REEFS IN CRISIS NEW DATA ON LOSS OF SOUTH FLORIDA REEFS TO BE RELEASED Fort Pierce, Fl., Jan. 8, 2001 - Due to the "Panther Woods Fire" and at the request of several news organizations, the NEWS CONFERENCE that was to be held at Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution Tuesday, Jan. 9, at 2pm, to announce newly-compiled data on the alarming decline of coral reef habitat on reef systems throughout South Florida, HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED FOR 1PM WEDNESDAY, JAN. 10th. Dr. Brian Lapointe will present the results of more than 15 years of research that shows why, in some areas, up to 40-percent of Florida's coastal reef systems are dying or already past the point of recovery. This news conference is being held in advance of a paper on Dr. Lapointe's research to be published in this week's edition of the science journal "Nature". The results of the research increasingly point to a phenomenon known as nutrient loading or nutrient enrichment as the source of what's killing the shallow-water coral reefs that are found off the Florida coast. The news conference will begin promptly at 1pm. Video will be provided in beta format and photographs will be available. For more information please call HARBOR BRANCH at 772.465.2400, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution, Inc. is one of the world's leading nonprofit oceanographic research organizations dedicated to the exploration of the earth's oceans, estuaries and coastal regions for the benefit of mankind. |