The Future of Oceans Lecture Series - Peter Hodum

"Of puffins and petrels: Conserving seabirds of the Salish Sea and Outer Coast of Washington" On November 20, 2022, the Port Townsend Marine Science Center welcomed Dr. Peter Hodum, Professor of Biology at the University of Puget Sound. Hodum’s talk delves into the collaborative research focused on improving the understanding of the ecology and conservation status of species such as the Tufted Puffin, Rhinoceros Auklet, Cassin’s Auklet and Leach’s and Fork-tailed Storm-Petrels. “Although Washington is blessed with a rich community of breeding and wintering seabirds, relatively little is known about the ecology and conservation status of many of the species,” said Hodum. “This relative lack of knowledge extends to iconic species such as the Tufted Puffin, a species listed as endangered by Washington state.” Find out more about the Northwest Straits Commission, Marine Resources Committees and ways to get involved at https://nwstraits.org/. Hodum is a biology professor and the Director of Environmental Policy and Decision Making at the University of Puget Sound. He is particularly interested in conservation-based research, including the impacts of anthropogenic threats such as marine plastic debris, habitat alteration and loss, introduced species, and fisheries interactions on bird populations and island ecosystems. In the Pacific Northwest, Hodum studies the ecology, population dynamics and conservation status of burrowing seabirds, principally Rhinoceros Auklets and Tufted Puffins. He collaborates with the Slater Museum of Natural History to study the effects of marine plastic debris on marine food webs by using seabirds, forage and bottom-dwelling fish and filter-feeding species, such as mussels, as biological indicators. Hodum is also the director of Chile Programs for Oikonos, a nonprofit that leads conservation projects in Chile, California, the north Pacific, New Zealand, Mexico, and Antarctica. https://www.oikonos.org/ The Port Townsend Marine Science Center's Future of Oceans lecture series draws on the commitment of professional researchers and educators across all academic spectrums to help define and inspire the health of our oceans. The Port Townsend Marine Science Center is grateful to the the Darrow family for their ongoing support of the lecture series. View the complete 2021-2022 Future of Oceans Lecture Series here: https://ptmsc.org/lecture-series If you'd like to learn more about the Port Townsend Marine Science Center and our mission of inspiring conservation of the Salish Sea, visit us at our website or on Facebook and Instagram. https://ptmsc.org/   / porttownsendmarinesciencecenter     / ptmarinescictr