Ecology of West Falmouth Harbor

Have you ever wondered what’s going on below the water surface of West Falmouth harbor? Come find out at this library presentation on Friday, August 7 at 5 p.m. Co-hosted by Chapoquoit Yacht Club with local experts, scientists Melanie Hayn, Mirta Teichberg & Sarah Merolla. Together, they’ll provide an interactive talk and demonstrations about the harbor ecosystem, its challenges and organisms, from algae and seagrass to snails and scallops. Free and open to all.

With over 30 combined years of studying the harbor, three Woods Hole scientists will tell you the story of the ecology of West Falmouth harbor and how it’s been changing. Melanie Hayn has been studying the harbor for 20+ years as part of a team of experts from Cornell University and the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, working to understand the impact of nitrogen on the eelgrass habitat and general health of the harbor. She’s now working with the Buzzards Bay Coalition with a focus on restoration. Mirta Teichberg is a scientist at MBL who has been studying seagrasses around the world for decades. For the past five years she has been working on eelgrass health and restoration strategies in West Falmouth harbor and around the Cape with research technician, Sarah Merolla.