Climate Cafe Series: Hidden Engineers of the Deep

Deep-sea ecosystems take center stage in Miami as scientists reveal how little-known fish species influence the global carbon cycle.

Climate Café Series: Hidden Engineers of the Deep takes place Wednesday, November 12 at the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, with an option to join via Zoom. The session examines groundbreaking research on mesopelagic fish, which make up nearly 94 percent of global fish biomass and play a vital role in regulating Earth’s carbon budget.

Presentations will highlight studies of the blackbelly rosefish, the first deep-sea species shown to produce ichthyocarbonates, tiny mineral particles excreted as part of their physiology, at rates comparable to shallow-water fish. This discovery fills a critical gap in ocean science, strengthening climate models and expanding understanding of how marine life helps regulate atmospheric carbon.

Featured speakers include Martin Grosell, Ph.D., Professor and Chair of Marine Biology and Ecology; Amanda Oehlert, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Marine Geosciences; and Rachael Heuer, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Marine Biology and Ecology. Moderated as part of the Climate Café series, the discussion invites students and the public into a conversation about the unseen processes that sustain marine ecosystems and shape climate predictions.