ReefExplorer

Coral reefs are more than just diving destinations—they are unique treasures of nature that must be preserved. The free (German-language) ReefExplorer online lecture series by aquatil offers exciting insights into these ecosystems.

Each month, scientists present talks on topics such as dazzling nudibranchs, fascinating crabs, or colorful fish.  The next lectures are planned as follows:

• On February 27, 2025, from 5:00 to 6:00 PM (UTC+1), Prof. Dr. Christian Wild from the University of Bremen will give a lecture titled:“Corals, Algae, Microorganisms – Who Controls Life in the Coral Reef? And What Role Do Environmental Changes Play?“
• On March 20, 2025, from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM (UTC+1), Prof. Dr. Heike Wägele, former head of the Phylogenetics and Evolutionary Biology section at the Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change, Museum Koenig Bonn, will give a lecture titled “Marine Nudibranchs (‘Opisthobranchia’) – Hidden Beauties and Their Tricks and Weapons.“
• On April 3, 2025, from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM (UTC+1), Prof. Dr. J. Wolfgang Wägele from the Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change, Bonn, will give a lecture titled: “Bizarre and Colorful Diversity: The Fauna of Indonesia’s Coral Reefs.“
• On May 8, 2025, from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM (UTC+1), Prof. Dr. Christian R. Voolstra from the Department of Biology at the University of Konstanz and President of the International Coral Reef Society (ICRS) will give a lecture titled: “Coral Reefs in a Changing Climate – Pathways Out of Ecological Collapse.”
• On June 5, 2025, from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM (UTC+1), Prof. Dr. Gert Wörheide from the GeoBio-Center at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München will give a lecture titled: “On ‘Vacuum Cleaners’ and ‘Killers’ in the Coral Reef.“
• On July 17, 2025, from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM (UTC+1), Prof. Dr. Nico Michiels from the Department of Evolutionary Ecology of Animals and Evolution at the University of Tübingen will give a lecture titled “Documenting Change in Over 1,000 Fish Species: A Challenge with a Sense of Discovery.“
• On August 14, 2025, from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM (UTC+1), Jenny Krutschinna from Reef Check Germany & Opel-Zoo will give a lecture titled “Reef Check: A Global Network for Coral Reef Protection.”
• On September 18, from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM (UTC+1), PD Dr. Michael Stachowitsch from the University of Vienna will give a lecture titled “Diving Tourism on the Reef: Loving It to Death.”
• On October 9, 2025, from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM (UTC+1), Angela Ziltener from the Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (IEA) at the University of Zurich will give a lecture titled “Eye to Eye with Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphins in the Red Sea.”
• On November 20, from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM (UTC+1), PD Dr. Ekin Tilic from the Senckenberg Natural History Museum and Research Institute in Frankfurt am Main will give a lecture titled “Deep-Sea Adventures – In Search of New Species.”
• On December 18, from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM (UTC+1), Prof. Dr. Peter Schupp from the ICBM – Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, will give a lecture titled “Coral Rendezvous: When Underwater Love Saves the Reefs!”

Join us in uncovering the secrets of coral reefs at www.reefexplorer.org.