Contributed by
Shawnee McKee / OLLi

Dr. Moisés A. Bernal, Auburn University Biological Sciences assistant professor, will present “How Do Marine Fishes Respond to Global Warming: Perspectives for Upcoming Decades” at an OLLI at Auburn Brown Bag on Wednesday, July 28. His presentation will be streamed live on OLLI at Auburn’s Facebook page at noon (CST).

Bernal’s lab focuses on understanding the ecological and evolutionary traits that determine how fish populations respond to natural and human-induced stressors. Key questions  the lab addresses are: 1) What are the metabolic drawbacks associated with ocean warming in marine fishes? 2) What is the acclimation capacity of marine fishes to projected climate change scenarios and what epigenetic mechanisms are involved? 3) What is the influence of environmental history on the response of fishes to fluctuating conditions? The lab’s ultimate goal is to increase understanding of the future of marine fish populations in a changing planet.

Bernal, a native of Panama, is an assistant professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Auburn University. He holds a B.S. in Environmental Biology from the University of Panama, and a Ph. D. in Marine Science from the University of Texas at Austin. Bernal held postdoctoral appointments at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia (two years), and later at State University of New York at Buffalo (one year). His special interests are associated with understanding the effects of environmental fluctuations on marine fishes, especially climate change.

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Auburn University (OLLI at Auburn) hosts its live Brown Bag Lunch & Lecture Series from noon to 1 p.m. on OLLI at Auburn’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/OLLIatAuburn. The free program is open to the public. 

OLLI at Auburn is a program of the Office of the Vice President for University Outreach. OLLI administrative offices and select classes are located at the historic Sunny Slope property, 1031 S. College St. in  Auburn.

For more information or to learn about becoming a volunteer faculty member, volunteer service assistant or sponsor, contact Shawnee McKee, OLLI administrative support, at 334-844-3146, olli@auburn.edu, or visit the website at www.olliatauburn.org.