Bill Dennison

James Kerry/ARC Center of Excellence via AP Another observation was the June 11, 1770 'discovery' that the Endeavour had been unknowingly threading through the Great Barrier Reef. This 'discovery' of what is now known as Endeavour Reef almost led to the demise of the ship and crew. Cook wrote ". . .the Ship Struck and stuck fast.

We have collaborated on seagrass research for three decades in the Chesapeake Bay and beyond. One of us (Bob "JJ" Orth) has mapped and studied the bay's submerged aquatic vegetation since the 1980s. And the other (Bill Dennison) studies seagrass ecophysiology and has led efforts to make this science understandable and useful. Seagrasses are critical to a healthy Chesapeake Bay. They provide habitat for fish and shellfish, stabilize sediments and help clarify the water.

Seagrasses are the “coastal canaries” of oceans and bays. When these underwater flowering plants are sick or dying, it means the ecosystem is in big trouble – typically due to pollution that reduces water quality. But when they are thriving and expanding, it is a sign that the ecosystem is becoming healthier. We have collaborated on seagrass research for three decades in the Chesapeake Bay and beyond.