HRI hosted the 38th Annual Benthic Ecology Meeting at the Corpus Christi Omni Bayfront March 4-7, 2009.

Benthic ecology is the study of all organisms living in, on or near the sea floor (or freshwater equivalent). This field of study includes the interactions between these organisms (the benthos) and the surrounding environment.

The meeting was attended by more than 300 researchers from 11 different countries, in addition to the 30 different U.S. states and territories. Eighty-five poster presentations accompanied 156 oral presentations with topics ranging from freshwater to deep water ecology and almost all benthic environments in between. Twenty-five Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi personnel gave presentations, of which 12 were affiliated with HRI.

The meeting was concluded with a social on the USS Lexington aircraft carrier with a popular Beatles cover band, The Eggmen.

Many of the conference participants, being from higher latitudes, enjoyed the warm Corpus Christi spring weather that accompanied the well-executed meeting.

HRI Endowed Chair Dr. Paul Montagna was the Conference Organizing Chair and was assisted by HRI Postdoctoral Associate Dr. Jennifer Pollack and HRI Research Specialist Terry Palmer. HRI staff members Gail Sutton, Allison Knight and Roland Dominguez were instrumental in coordinating logistics.