#112: Incredible Deep Sea and Tropical Marine Habitats - Dr. Judith Gobin

When we think about habitats, it’s easy to picture the rich diversity on land—vast prairies, scorching deserts, lush forests, and intricate wetlands. But what if I told you the ocean is just as diverse, filled with ecosystems as unique and vital as any on land? The only difference? We can’t see them as easily—but that doesn’t make them any less important. Today’s guest is Dr. Judith Gobin, joining us all the way from Trinidad and Tobago. Judith is a recently retired professor of Marine Biology from the University of the West Indies.  And she’s here to tell us about tropical marine habitats, such as mangroves, sea grass, and coral reefs. She has a particular interest in deep sea habitats, such as cold methane seeps and even whale falls. It’s a bit morbid, but weighing up to 300,000 pounds, in the case of a blue whale, a dead whale literally creates its own habitat. To my surprise, I learned that the ocean floor more than 200 kilometers away from national coast lines is basically a free-for-all for exploration and resource extraction. Judi tells us about a new treaty that aims to better control these operations, which can disproportionately harm island nations such as Trinidad and Tobago. It’s a deep dive into ocean science, conservation, and awe-inspiring ecosystems. FULL SHOW NOTES Links Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Treaty Deep Sea Videos mentioned by Dr. Gobin Dr. Diva Amon Dr. Robert Ballard The E/V Nautilus Lamellibrachia judigobini Support Us On Patreon! Buy our Merch! Music: Spellbound by Brian Holtz Music License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist site: https://brianholtzmusic.com Discover the Jumpstart Nature Podcast - entertaining and immersive, it's the nature fix we all need. Check past Nature's Archive episodes for amazing guests like Doug Tallamy, Elaine Ingham, and Rae Wynn-Grant, covering topics from bird migration to fungi to frogs and bats!