Metz to discuss weather outlook at UTMSI public lecture tonight

The ‘Dead Zone’ in the Gulf of Mexico in red. COURTESY PHOTO The 2010 Public Lecture Series at the University of Texas Marine Science Institute will continue tonight, Thursday, Feb. 4, with John Metz.

Metz will speak at the in- stitute’s Visitors’ Center Auditorium at the end of Cotter Street, near the beach.

The doors will open at 6:30 p.m. and the talk will begin at 7 p.m. The lectures are free and open to the public.

Metz, the warning coordination meteorologist from the National Weather Service in Corpus Christi, will discuss the weather outlook for the spring and summer of 2010.

On Thursday, Feb. 11, Drs. Ed Buskey, Wayne Gardner and Peter Thomas from UTMSI will hold a special panel discussion, “The Dead Zone.” Institute director Lee Fuiman will moderate.

The Dead Zone is an area the size of New Jersey in the Gulf of Mexico, which is devoid of marine life.

JOHN METZ According to Buskey, “It is an area of “hypoxia” or low oxygen on the sea bottom. Hypoxia occurs when oxygen concentrations are about 25 percent or below of “normal” oxygen concentrations in the sea.”

In this discussion Buskey, Gardner and Thomas each will give presentations. The panel discussion will be followed with a question and answer session.

Buskey will explain what the Dead Zone is, Gardner will address how nutrients are recycled in aquatic food webs and Thomas will talk about the impact of fish reproduction in this lowlevel oxygen zone.
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