Now in the third week of Dr. Walter Jahn’s Summer Lecture Series I: The Biodiversity of the Americas, the focusis on the wildlife and natural world of southeast Florida and the Caribbean. Entitled Everglades, Caribbean, and Coral Reefs, we’ll be taken into the Everglades, home of crocodiles, alligators, manatees, bottlenosed dolphins, Florida panthers, river otters, and 40 mammal species. The Everglades is a unique ecosystem where the mixing of freshwater from Lake Okeechobee and saltwater from the ocean creates a habitat that allows both alligators and crocodiles to thrive. (National Park Service)

Next destination: Biscayne. Described as “A Watery Wonderland,” Biscayne National Park encompasses coral reefs, islands and shoreline mangrove forest in the northern Florida Keys. Its reefs and islands are accessible only by boat. Dolphins, turtles and pelicans live in Biscayne Bay Lagoon. The underwater Maritime Heritage Trail links dive sites, most of them shipwrecks. (National Park Service)

The next great place we’ll visit is El Yunque National Forest located in eastern Puerto Rico. This tropical rainforest is home to the iguaca (Puerto Rican parrot), coquí (the tree frog), bioluminescent mushrooms, and 240 plant species endemic to Puerto Rico. In addition, a high-altitude dwarf forest with its unique vegetation is within El Yunque.

St. Croix, St. John, and St. Thomas are the main islands of the US Virgin Islands. The Leeward Islands moist forests and Leeward Islands xeric scrub terrestrial eco-regions are within the US Virgin Islands.

Coral reef systems and mangrove estuaries highlight the region’s ecological diversity. The Caribbean is home to some of the planet’s most magnificent coral reef ecosystems.

These coral habitats are essential as they harbor abundant ocean life, help protect communities from coastal flooding, and erosion, and support nearly half of the

region’s economy. (The Nature Conservancy) Mangroves are salt-tolerant trees that thrive in brackish water environments. Mangrove estuaries serve as crucial nurseries for many marine species, including fish, shrimp, crabs, and various birds.

This hour-long lecture begins at 5:30pm on Monday, June 16, 2025. For an in-person lecture experience, come to Rowley Center for Science and Engineering, room 110. The location of RCSE is 10 East Conkling Avenue, Middletown. Free parking is available on- street and in college lots.

Also, the lecture is available live via zoom. Link: https://sunyorange.zoom.us/j/98282281351

Questions may be directed to Cultural Affairs at cultural@sunyorange.edu