The DEEPEND (Deep Pelagic Nekton Dynamics; www.deependconsortium.org) program has been studying the epipelagic, mesopelagic, and bathypelagic fauna of the Gulf of Mexico for the last 14 years (and counting). Given the progress made offshore, we are excited to announce an addition to the DEEPEND research portfolio, a detailed examination of the interactions of mesopelagic and deep-benthic (particularly deep coral) assemblages along the outer continental slope.

A recent research article led by Dr. Matthew Woodstock and two other DEEPENDers, Dr. Tracey Sutton and Dr. Yuying Zhang, was recognized by Limnology and Oceanography, one of the world’s premier oceanographic journals, as one of the most viewed new papers for the journal.

Dr. Heather Judkins and her grad student, Claire de Noyo, both presented new DEEPEND research at the 2024 Ocean Sciences Meeting in February in New Orleans! Heather shared results from her ongoing cephalopod diet metabarcoding study which helps piece together the complex deep-sea food web of the Gulf of Mexico. Of the 63 individuals analyzed, fishes accounted for the majority of prey items.

Recently, members of the DEEPEND|RESTORE Consortium traveled to the Gulf of Mexico Conference, GoMCON, in Tampa, Florida and had a great experience. GoMCON is a bi-annual conference that brings together scientists, students, stakeholders, industry leaders, and so much more to network and present on research being conducted in the Gulf of Mexico. Nova Southeastern Graduate students from Dr. Sutton’s Oceanic Ecology Laboratory, Hannah Johnson, Katie Lim, and Travis Kirk, students from Dr. Rosanna Milligan’s DEEPSCAPE Laboratory, Sidney Trimble and Ian Areford, as well as Florida International University Postdoc Dr. Pedo Peres were able to be in attendance for this year’s conference. Liberty Juno, a student in Dr. Jon Moore’s Deep Sea Ichthyology lab, attended the conference alongside the NSU students.