Key Largo

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

This program will take you to Key Largo, where you will experience how MarineLab inspires individuals through marine education. Your days will be spent exploring seagrass beds, mangrove forests, and coral reef ecosystems through daily snorkeling expeditions and boat trips among various protected marine habitats. Through each of these activities, you will discover how MarineLab fosters understanding and appreciation for the ocean while championing its exploration and conservation.

While based at MarineLab’s coastal campus, you will have the opportunity to participate in hands-on coral reef restoration work with Mote Marine Laboratory, learning how to fragment live corals for outplanting on Florida’s reefs. You will conduct field research on seagrass and mangrove ecology, study invertebrate diversity and behavior in laboratory settings, and participate in marine debris surveys to understand ocean pollution. Additionally, you will conduct zonation studies at Rodriguez Key to understand how different species occupy specific reef zones.

Outside of field research, you will participate in evening discussions about coral reef ecology, climate change impacts on marine ecosystems, and the critical role coral reefs play in ocean health. You will also learn from MarineLab’s experienced instructors about the unique biodiversity of the Florida Keys.

Through these experiences, you will gain a comprehensive understanding of marine science through boat trips, labs, and hands-on research.

This program is designed to help you understand the connections between marine ecosystems and human impacts while gaining field research skills. You will leave Key Largo with snorkeling experience, laboratory skills, and a new perspective on how coral reef restoration and marine conservation can protect ocean ecosystems for future generations.