Remarkable Algae in Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary

February 24, 2021

Dr. Suzanne Fredericq, Professor of Biology, University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Extensive sampling of deepwater macroalgae in FGBNMS and the northwestern Gulf of Mexico has resulted in an innovative approach to exploratory research for the discovery, identification, and classification of algal diversity. The research of Dr. Suzanne Fredericq, Professor of Biology at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, focuses on rhodolith or algal nodule beds, which represent an important component of marine diversity that contributes to major ecosystem functions. The critical importance rhodoliths play in the life cycle of algae has revolutionized preconceived ideas about the ecological importance of this unexplored ecosystem.