The document proposes transforming the unused ocean tank at Biosphere 2 into "The Desert Sea" - a living model of the Gulf of California highlighting the rich ecology and connection between the desert and sea. The Desert Sea would house diverse Gulf species and serve as a site for cutting-edge marine research while educating visitors. It describes plans to construct habitats like tidepools and a mangrove forest to build biological complexity. The project aims to understand how diversity develops and resilience to environmental change.
FizzyTransition - Building a nursery for coral (high res)fizzytransition
Coral reefs are the most biodiverse ecosystems on Earth.
Coral reefs are home to 25% of all marine life.
Coral reefs support more than 200 million people.
Coral reefs generate billions of dollars through tourism.
About half of the world’s coral reefs have been damaged or destroyed.
Coral reefs are the most endangered habitat on the planet.
FizzyTransition - Building a nursery for coralfizzytransition
Coral reefs are the most biodiverse ecosystems on Earth.
Coral reefs are home to 25% of all marine life.
Coral reefs support more than 200 million people.
Coral reefs generate billions of dollars through tourism.
About half of the world’s coral reefs have been damaged or destroyed.
Coral reefs are the most endangered habitat on the planet.
“The ocean stirs the heart, inspires the imagination and brings eternal joy to the soul.” – Wyland
“To heal the ocean, we must heal ourselves.” – Dr. Rod Fujita
“People ask: Why should I care about the ocean? Because the ocean is the cornerstone of earth’s life support system, it shapes climate and weather. It holds most of life on earth. 97% of earth’s water is there. It’s the blue heart of the planet-we should take care of our heart. It’s what makes life possible for us. We still have a really good chance to make things better than they are. They won’t get better unless we take the action and inspire others to do the same thing. No one is without power. Everybody has the capacity to do something.” – Dr. Sylvia Earle
“Coral reefs represent some of the world's most spectacular beauty spots, but they are also the foundation of marine life: without them many of the seas most exquisite species will not survive”
~ Sheherazade Goldsmith
“Coral is a very beautiful and unusual animal. Each coral head consists of thousand individual polyps. These polyps are continually budding and branching into genetically identical neighbors”
~ Antony Garrett Lisi
“The ocean stirs the heart, inspires the imagination and brings etrnal joy to the soul”
~ Wyland
Stakeholders’ Perception of Fish Decline in the Lagos Lagoon and Effects of S...BRNSS Publication Hub
Lagos Lagoon provides a number of important ecosystem services that include fish supply for the indigenous
fishing communities of Ilajes and Ijaws. The Lagoon is also a sink for pollutants from various point sources,
including sawmilling activities at the Okobaba hub of the lagoon. The perception of stakeholders about the
environmental risks of these anthropogenic activities is important considerations for sustainable management
of this important coastal ecosystem. Organic pollutants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
are priority pollutants that are associated with anthropogenic activities including the burning of wastes. The
early life stages of fish species are useful bioindicators of pollutant effects for environmental risk assessments.
This study investigated stakeholders’ environmental risks perception of the sawmilling activities on the
Lagos Lagoon. Furthermore, physicochemical parameters and 16 priority PAHs were assessed in surface
water, porewater, and sediment from the study area on the Lagos Lagoon. Further, the embryotoxic effects
of crude and cleaned up sediment organics and porewater extracts on the African sharptooth catfish (Clarias
gariepinus) embryos were evaluated. Most (70–93%) respondents observed fish declines, burn wastes on
the bank of the lagoon and are aware of the environmental and human health risks of their activities. High
molecular weight PAHs dominated the PAHs profile, especially in the sediment. Developmental abnormalities
and decreased hatching success were observed in C. gariepinus embryos exposed to extracts from the test
site compared to the controls though non-significant (P > 0.05). The results show the environmental risks
of sawmill activities on the Lagos Lagoon. There is a need for targeted environmental management and
stakeholders’ engagement to forestall further coastal degradation and promote sustainable fisheries in the
lagoon in support of the UN sustainable development goal three (life below water).
FizzyTransition - Building a nursery for coral (high res)fizzytransition
Coral reefs are the most biodiverse ecosystems on Earth.
Coral reefs are home to 25% of all marine life.
Coral reefs support more than 200 million people.
Coral reefs generate billions of dollars through tourism.
About half of the world’s coral reefs have been damaged or destroyed.
Coral reefs are the most endangered habitat on the planet.
FizzyTransition - Building a nursery for coralfizzytransition
Coral reefs are the most biodiverse ecosystems on Earth.
Coral reefs are home to 25% of all marine life.
Coral reefs support more than 200 million people.
Coral reefs generate billions of dollars through tourism.
About half of the world’s coral reefs have been damaged or destroyed.
Coral reefs are the most endangered habitat on the planet.
“The ocean stirs the heart, inspires the imagination and brings eternal joy to the soul.” – Wyland
“To heal the ocean, we must heal ourselves.” – Dr. Rod Fujita
“People ask: Why should I care about the ocean? Because the ocean is the cornerstone of earth’s life support system, it shapes climate and weather. It holds most of life on earth. 97% of earth’s water is there. It’s the blue heart of the planet-we should take care of our heart. It’s what makes life possible for us. We still have a really good chance to make things better than they are. They won’t get better unless we take the action and inspire others to do the same thing. No one is without power. Everybody has the capacity to do something.” – Dr. Sylvia Earle
“Coral reefs represent some of the world's most spectacular beauty spots, but they are also the foundation of marine life: without them many of the seas most exquisite species will not survive”
~ Sheherazade Goldsmith
“Coral is a very beautiful and unusual animal. Each coral head consists of thousand individual polyps. These polyps are continually budding and branching into genetically identical neighbors”
~ Antony Garrett Lisi
“The ocean stirs the heart, inspires the imagination and brings etrnal joy to the soul”
~ Wyland
Stakeholders’ Perception of Fish Decline in the Lagos Lagoon and Effects of S...BRNSS Publication Hub
Lagos Lagoon provides a number of important ecosystem services that include fish supply for the indigenous
fishing communities of Ilajes and Ijaws. The Lagoon is also a sink for pollutants from various point sources,
including sawmilling activities at the Okobaba hub of the lagoon. The perception of stakeholders about the
environmental risks of these anthropogenic activities is important considerations for sustainable management
of this important coastal ecosystem. Organic pollutants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
are priority pollutants that are associated with anthropogenic activities including the burning of wastes. The
early life stages of fish species are useful bioindicators of pollutant effects for environmental risk assessments.
This study investigated stakeholders’ environmental risks perception of the sawmilling activities on the
Lagos Lagoon. Furthermore, physicochemical parameters and 16 priority PAHs were assessed in surface
water, porewater, and sediment from the study area on the Lagos Lagoon. Further, the embryotoxic effects
of crude and cleaned up sediment organics and porewater extracts on the African sharptooth catfish (Clarias
gariepinus) embryos were evaluated. Most (70–93%) respondents observed fish declines, burn wastes on
the bank of the lagoon and are aware of the environmental and human health risks of their activities. High
molecular weight PAHs dominated the PAHs profile, especially in the sediment. Developmental abnormalities
and decreased hatching success were observed in C. gariepinus embryos exposed to extracts from the test
site compared to the controls though non-significant (P > 0.05). The results show the environmental risks
of sawmill activities on the Lagos Lagoon. There is a need for targeted environmental management and
stakeholders’ engagement to forestall further coastal degradation and promote sustainable fisheries in the
lagoon in support of the UN sustainable development goal three (life below water).
Paul Maxwell, AMSA 2013. Managing Seagrass Resilience: feedbacks and scalesaceas13tern
"I’m a phd student from Griffith University. Today I’m presenting the outcomes of a workshop I was lucky enough to attend which was funded by ACEAS, the Australian Centre for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis. I’m presenting on behalf of a host of co-authors who are listed here. I thank them for the opportunity to present on their behalf." -Paul Maxwell
The aim of the ACEAS workshop was to generate a framework that outlines how a sea grasses response to impact operates on multiple scales and how understanding that scale is vital for understanding how seagrass ecosystems develop, maintain and enhance their resilience to disturbances.
The Journal of Marine Biology & Oceanography (JMBO) promotes rigorous research that makes a significant contribution in advancing knowledge for marine sciences. JMBO includes all major themes pertaining to organisms in the ocean or other marine or brackish water bodies.
Communication of Brisset Elodie et al. 2018 in the European Association of Ar...ELODIE BRISSET
Abstract #: 4983 - European Association of Archaeologists 2018
BARCELONA (SPAIN)
RECONSTRUCTION AND IMPACT OF SEASCAPE EVOLUTION ON HUMAN COMMUNITIES DURING THE MESOLITHIC-NEOLITHIC TRANSITION IN THE MEDITERRANEAN IBERIA
Dr. Elodie Brisset, Dr Javier Fernández-López de Pablo, Dr Francesc Burjachs
Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social (Spain)
Corresponding author's e-mail: elodie.brisset@imbe.fr
The study of past interactions between hunter-gatherer communities and coastal environment is of major interest because this period was characterised by a rapid sealevel
rise following the Deglaciation. Here we present a study case of Pego-Oliva (Eastern Spain), an area which provides a thick Early-middle Holocene sedimentary infill, together with an extended Mesolithic sequence (El Collado site). Both records provide an unique opportunity to address how the Early Holocene sea level the reduction of coastal plains and the modification of coastal biotopes affected human settlement patterns during the Mesolithic period and the Mesolithic-Neolithic trantition. New fieldwork in the Pego-Oliva lagoon has been carried out in the context of the research project MedCoRes (H2020-MSCA-IF-2015 Ref. 704822). An extensive sampling strategy, based on 3 transects of 16 boreholes covering the Holocene sedimentary infilling, has been implementd together with sedimentological (lithostratigraphy, grainsize, LOI, dry density), and chronostratigraphic analyses (14C dates). This work has allowed to reconstruct three main phases of the morphogenetic evolution: First, from 9800 to 8200 cal. BP, the retrogradational architecture is characterised by four steps of shallow inner lagoon environments associated to sand barriers. Then, from 8200 to 7000 cal. BP, the continuous and rapid backward migration of the shoreline reached its maximal inland position leading to the disappearance of former inner lagoons. Finally, since 7000 cal. BP, sea-level stabilisation promoted the barrier construction leading to formation of an inner coastal lagoon isolated of the sea. Finally, based on paleogeographical reconstructions and radiocarbon modelling we estimated that horizontal inland migration of the coastline reached rates of ~150 m per 50 years. Those results are compared to the Bayesian chronostratigraphy and bioarchaeological assemblages of El Collado. Altogether, our results show synchronic changes of coastal palaeoenvironments and subsistence patterns, arguing that new
strategies have been essential to adapt to highly changing landscapes.
Coastal environment, Mesolithic, Mediterranean, resources
Note/comment
The immense region of the world’s seas has long enraptured human interest, filling in as both a wellspring of secret and a boondocks for logical investigation. Throughout the long term, propels in sea life science have unfurled like the pages of a convincing story, uncovering the complexities of maritime environments, the elements of marine life, and the significant impact of the seas on Earth’s environment. From the beginning of sea investigation to the present state of the art advancements, the excursion of understanding our seas has been set apart by constant development and disclosure.
This gathering plans to diagram the momentous advances in sea life science, giving a thorough outline of the developing scene of maritime exploration. We will investigate the pivotal moments, revolutionary technologies, and collaborative efforts that have shaped our understanding of the oceans as we delve into the depths of this multidisciplinary field. From the revelation of aqueous vents and the planning of sea flows to the investigation of outrageous remote ocean conditions, every part in this investigation of sea life science mirrors the vigorous quest for information that drives researchers, specialists, and pioneers the same.
The job of sea life science reaches out past the domains of unadulterated interest. It assumes a critical part in tending to squeezing worldwide difficulties, for example, environmental change, overfishing, and the protection of biodiversity. As we face a period of exceptional ecological change, the bits of knowledge acquired from sea life science become progressively crucial for educated independent direction and supportable administration regarding our seas.
Paul Maxwell, AMSA 2013. Managing Seagrass Resilience: feedbacks and scalesaceas13tern
"I’m a phd student from Griffith University. Today I’m presenting the outcomes of a workshop I was lucky enough to attend which was funded by ACEAS, the Australian Centre for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis. I’m presenting on behalf of a host of co-authors who are listed here. I thank them for the opportunity to present on their behalf." -Paul Maxwell
The aim of the ACEAS workshop was to generate a framework that outlines how a sea grasses response to impact operates on multiple scales and how understanding that scale is vital for understanding how seagrass ecosystems develop, maintain and enhance their resilience to disturbances.
The Journal of Marine Biology & Oceanography (JMBO) promotes rigorous research that makes a significant contribution in advancing knowledge for marine sciences. JMBO includes all major themes pertaining to organisms in the ocean or other marine or brackish water bodies.
Communication of Brisset Elodie et al. 2018 in the European Association of Ar...ELODIE BRISSET
Abstract #: 4983 - European Association of Archaeologists 2018
BARCELONA (SPAIN)
RECONSTRUCTION AND IMPACT OF SEASCAPE EVOLUTION ON HUMAN COMMUNITIES DURING THE MESOLITHIC-NEOLITHIC TRANSITION IN THE MEDITERRANEAN IBERIA
Dr. Elodie Brisset, Dr Javier Fernández-López de Pablo, Dr Francesc Burjachs
Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social (Spain)
Corresponding author's e-mail: elodie.brisset@imbe.fr
The study of past interactions between hunter-gatherer communities and coastal environment is of major interest because this period was characterised by a rapid sealevel
rise following the Deglaciation. Here we present a study case of Pego-Oliva (Eastern Spain), an area which provides a thick Early-middle Holocene sedimentary infill, together with an extended Mesolithic sequence (El Collado site). Both records provide an unique opportunity to address how the Early Holocene sea level the reduction of coastal plains and the modification of coastal biotopes affected human settlement patterns during the Mesolithic period and the Mesolithic-Neolithic trantition. New fieldwork in the Pego-Oliva lagoon has been carried out in the context of the research project MedCoRes (H2020-MSCA-IF-2015 Ref. 704822). An extensive sampling strategy, based on 3 transects of 16 boreholes covering the Holocene sedimentary infilling, has been implementd together with sedimentological (lithostratigraphy, grainsize, LOI, dry density), and chronostratigraphic analyses (14C dates). This work has allowed to reconstruct three main phases of the morphogenetic evolution: First, from 9800 to 8200 cal. BP, the retrogradational architecture is characterised by four steps of shallow inner lagoon environments associated to sand barriers. Then, from 8200 to 7000 cal. BP, the continuous and rapid backward migration of the shoreline reached its maximal inland position leading to the disappearance of former inner lagoons. Finally, since 7000 cal. BP, sea-level stabilisation promoted the barrier construction leading to formation of an inner coastal lagoon isolated of the sea. Finally, based on paleogeographical reconstructions and radiocarbon modelling we estimated that horizontal inland migration of the coastline reached rates of ~150 m per 50 years. Those results are compared to the Bayesian chronostratigraphy and bioarchaeological assemblages of El Collado. Altogether, our results show synchronic changes of coastal palaeoenvironments and subsistence patterns, arguing that new
strategies have been essential to adapt to highly changing landscapes.
Coastal environment, Mesolithic, Mediterranean, resources
Note/comment
The immense region of the world’s seas has long enraptured human interest, filling in as both a wellspring of secret and a boondocks for logical investigation. Throughout the long term, propels in sea life science have unfurled like the pages of a convincing story, uncovering the complexities of maritime environments, the elements of marine life, and the significant impact of the seas on Earth’s environment. From the beginning of sea investigation to the present state of the art advancements, the excursion of understanding our seas has been set apart by constant development and disclosure.
This gathering plans to diagram the momentous advances in sea life science, giving a thorough outline of the developing scene of maritime exploration. We will investigate the pivotal moments, revolutionary technologies, and collaborative efforts that have shaped our understanding of the oceans as we delve into the depths of this multidisciplinary field. From the revelation of aqueous vents and the planning of sea flows to the investigation of outrageous remote ocean conditions, every part in this investigation of sea life science mirrors the vigorous quest for information that drives researchers, specialists, and pioneers the same.
The job of sea life science reaches out past the domains of unadulterated interest. It assumes a critical part in tending to squeezing worldwide difficulties, for example, environmental change, overfishing, and the protection of biodiversity. As we face a period of exceptional ecological change, the bits of knowledge acquired from sea life science become progressively crucial for educated independent direction and supportable administration regarding our seas.
The wonders of our planet extend far beyond the familiar landscapes of forests and savannas. Beneath the surface of our vast oceans lies a realm teeming with life and brimming with the extraordinary diversity of marine biodiversity.
Biological oceanography gradually grew into a major scientific discipline with all these observations of marine organisms and their environments. In this episode, the following modules are highlighted:1. Nature of marine environment, 2. Classification of Marine environment, 3. Role of abiotic parameters on marine life, 4. Marine Flora , and 5. Marine Fauna.
We offer you this guide to shed light on the question you are probably asking yourself: «What is the use of oceanography?».
By tracing the history of marine science, we explain how oceanographers have been able to put the oceans at the heart of their work and demonstrate the crucial role they play in the planetary balance.
Convinced that the prerequisite for any action is a better understanding of the issues by science, we hope that this guide to oceanography will help to crystalise on the issues and challenges posed by science. We hope that it will help lay the foundation for buil- ding a common and shared ocean culture.
What is oceanography and what are its role in Science Olympiad.pdfSSSI .
Oceanography is a very crucial topic of the science Olympiad. It is a logical discipline that digs into the exhaustive investigation of the World's seas.
Fisherman\\’s Wharf at Kewalo Basin is dedicated to stewardship of our oceans and all life that makes the ocean their home. Fisherman\\’s Wharf at Kewalo Basin will in conjunction with its partners develop and promote programs dedicated and committed to healthy and diverse ocean ecosystem, ocean research and education.
24752-D, RSG Grantee Stephanie J. Rousso Conference Poster, Western Society N...
DesertSea.2015Portfolio.2
1. 1
The Desert Sea
at Biosphere 2
A Vision Portfolio
Rafe Sagarin, Program Director, Biosphere 2 Ocean
Bobby Long
2. 2 University of Arizona
The Desert Sea Connection
It might not seem like deserts and seas are connected, but the linkages between them are vital as the world’s
population increasingly relies on ocean resources and the world’s lands become increasingly arid. The Sonoran
Desert of the southwest United States owes its amazing biological and cultural diversity in no small part to its
proximity to the rich waters of the Gulf of California, yet most visitors to this incredible region have little notion
of the strong connection between desert and sea.
Biosphere 2, an ecosystem research and science outreach facility in Arizona, houses an enormous 676,000‑
gallon saltwater ocean tank. The Biosphere 2 ocean was originally a richly populated coral reef with dozens
of species of live corals, fish and invertebrates. But by the time the University of Arizona took ownership of
Biosphere 2 many years after the original sealed missions, the ocean had degraded, with few living animals and
heavy growth of nuisance algae. It is currently underutilized for research, outreach, and teaching.
Transforming
Biosphere2’s ocean
into the Desert Sea.
The Biosphere 2 Ocean
3. 3
A vision for Biosphere 2...We are seeking your support to help transform the Biosphere 2 ocean into a “Desert Sea”—a living model of the
Gulf of California—that will highlight the rich ecology, diverse human cultures, and conservation challenges that
are concentrated in this unique marine environment. The Desert Sea will look like the Gulf—where the desert
and the sea connect—with cactus-studded islands, rocky shorelines and tidepools, and a rich sargassum forest in
its 21-foot-deep open water zone.
These habitats will become home to a diverse range of the amazing living creatures of the Gulf. Taken together,
the Desert Sea will be a whole new way of studying, teaching, and sharing marine science with people who may
live far from the sea.
The Desert Sea
4. 4 University of Arizona
Biosphere 2 is unique for its
combination of both large
spaces to house complex
ecosystems and the laboratory
controls required for research.
The kinds of research we
conduct at Biosphere 2 cannot
be done anywhere else.
5. 5
The Desert Sea will be an
unparalleled site for science.
We plan to activate the full potential of the ocean system at Biosphere 2 to tackle the most pressing challenges
in marine science and conservation. No other place on Earth has the capacity to conduct controlled laboratory
research amidst the complexity of nature. This capacity allows us to plan the Desert Sea around an ambitious
central research question:
How does biological diversity and complexity develop,
and is it resilient to human-related environmental change?
We will start to address this question at the smallest scales of life, by using cutting-edge genomic technologies
to characterize the microbial world of a simple marine system. We will then build biological complexity through
deliberate additions of Gulf of California species representing different functional parts of marine food webs.
As each new element of the system begins to interact with and adapt to the others, we will begin to answer
questions that have long eluded laboratory and field biologists about what sustains and enhances biological
diversity. Ultimately, with the space and habitats to include a wide range of interacting marine species, we
can test the effects of large-scale global changes like ocean warming and acidification, as well as intense local
pressures like overfishing and coastal pollution, on marine environments.
The unique combination of control and complexity also makes the Desert Sea an ideal location for marine
technology testing. From remote submarines built by science classes to crowdsourced innovations on how to
reduce destructive by-catch in fishing gear, technologies can be prototyped, tested, and refined in the real world
conditions of the Biosphere 2’s ocean without the risk, expense, and logistical difficulties of testing in the actual
ocean. Many of these technologies, such as autonomous environmental sensors, will immediately be put to use
gathering data for the research activities in the Desert Sea, creating an integrated and adaptive environmental
research and development platform.
6. 6 University of Arizona
Your journey to the
When you enter
Biosphere 2
you will travel
new, accessible
pathways across
an open, airy fog
desert.
You’ll go down
through a thick
mangrove forest
and wetland,
before emerging
on a perch above
the deep pelagic
zone of the
Desert Sea.
The Desert Sea will invite visitors and scientists to get
closer, deeper, and further into the incredible wilderness
habitats of Biosphere 2 than ever before.
6
7. 7
Desert Sea...
Then you’ll
traverse along
a rocky cliff
wall just a few
feet above
the sea for an
unprecedented
view of our
marine life.
The path turns
down to the
rocky shoreline
and tide pools,
before exiting
the Biosphere 2
building.
The path heads
underground
to our
Ocean Gallery,
which features
three large
underwater
viewing
windows.
7
8. 8 University of Arizona
The mission of the Desert Sea is to conduct research
while educating and inspiring people about the ecological and
cultural connections between the ocean and arid lands.
The Desert Sea will be an
unparalleled site for STEM
education.
Science is alive at Biosphere 2, in full view of our 100,000 annual visitors. Unlike an aquarium, which displays
spectacular fish with science somewhere in the background, our Desert Sea will display amazing science with
spectacular fish as part of a complete science outreach experience. Few other facilities balance cutting edge
scientific research, compelling visitor outreach, and substantive STEM education opportunities, as we do at
Biosphere 2.
School groups and our Summer Science Academy will become integrated with our scientific work; conducting
hands-on research in what, for many, will be their first exposure to a marine environment. Public visitors will be
able to see this research in action, from above and below the water line, and will be encouraged to talk with the
scientists themselves as they conduct their research.
Outreach and teaching will continue under the waves because our ocean is a certified open water scuba dive
site. With the transformation to the Desert Sea, we will create a challenging and compelling space for many
types of advanced dive training including search and rescue, high altitude, and scientific research diving.
9. 9
We’re already
making waves!New Life for the Biosphere 2 Ocean
The University of Arizona hired marine ecologist Dr. Rafe Sagarin as the Program Director for the Desert Sea
project to develop the plans for a new ocean biome in Biosphere 2. Dr. Sagarin has extensive experience
organizing multi‑disciplinary groups to tackle tough scientific challenges. He has assembled a “dream team” of
Gulf naturalists, ecosystem scientists, aquarium experts, technicians, artists, marine educators, and museum
designers that will help guide our path along each step of the process.
With seed funding from private donors and the David & Lucile Packard Foundation, we have run a series
of “design charrettes” to creatively address the architectural, engineering, animal care, visitor experience,
and scientific research opportunities that arise from our Desert Sea project. Now we are ready to draw up
construction plans and get to work building the Desert Sea.
A Marine Biologist in the Desert?
“People always laugh when I tell them that I’m a marine biologist who lives in Tucson, until I tell them that
some of the most fascinating ocean habitats in the world are right down the road from me… Then they want
to learn more about the Gulf of California.” Dr. Rafe Sagarin Program Director, Biosphere 2 Ocean
10. 10 University of Arizona
The Desert Sea is a big,
audaciousproject—exactlywhat
Biosphere 2 was built for.
Big Plans
The University of Arizona is the number one Environmental Science research university in the United States.
We view the Desert Sea as a flagship project to build off this tradition of excellence. The Desert Sea project
will also become a major component of an effort to make southern Arizona a hub of “geotourism,” featuring
the region’s world‑class telescopes, stunning Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, and Flandrau Science Center.
Our project will extend across the border as it will foster strong bi‑national collaboration with scientists,
conservationists, students, and educators in Mexico.
We expect the construction of the Desert Sea to be a multi‑million dollar project that will accrue additional
operational costs for new staffing, husbandry, and maintenance. Our expected costs (detailed estimates
available upon request) are well within the scope of similarly sized ocean tank renovations conducted at the
Monterey Bay Aquarium and New England Aquarium. Our project can be developed in stages, from initial
restoration and refitting of the ocean tank, to restorations of the adjoining mangrove habitat, to construction of
fully accessible pathways and new points of access for our visitors.
Big Benefits
We expect initial costs to be partially offset by new revenues that will accrue directly from the Desert Sea
project, including:
Increased visitation and increased return visitation
Lab use fees and scuba training use fees
Increased use of Biosphere 2 conference facilities
We expect these new sources of revenue to be significant and to contribute directly to our research activities.
Nonetheless, we believe the most important benefit of this project is that we will pioneer a fully integrated
model of scientific research, education and public outreach, where visitors, school children, and scientists are all
part of the same journey of discovering and understanding the Desert Sea.
Biosphere 2’s
original design
scaled small glass
“ecospheres”
up to the size
of a 3.14‑acre
greenhouse—
massively
changing the
scale of sealed
ecosystem
science.
• Overhead from increased grant‑funded research
• Gift shop sales
•
•
•
11. 11
There’s only one Biosphere 2...
and there’s only one Desert Sea.
Deserts and seas are becoming vital to our efforts to adapt and thrive on a changing planet.
Our Desert Sea project is the first of its kind dedicated to understanding this interface and sharing it
in the same engaging space where the research is conducted.
The Desert Sea is a transformative project with potential to bring the story of the Gulf of California—
its connection to the desert and to our future—to a far wider audience than ever before. Join us in turning this
vision into reality. Please support the Desert Sea project with a contribution today. Your gift will help build an
ocean, share it, and work toward a more knowledgeable and healthy aquatic future.
Ask Rafe
Dr. Rafe Sagarin, Program Director, Biosphere 2 Ocean,
would be happy to answer your questions or provide
you with a behind-the-scenes tour.
University of Arizona
Biosphere 2
845 N. Park Avenue, Room 526
Tucson, AZ 85721
Phone: 520-838-6133
Email: rafe@email.arizona.edu
12. 12 University of Arizona
32540 S. Biosphere Road
Oracle Arizona 85623
Phone: 520-626-4092
Website: www.Biosphere2.org