Biomechanics of Invertebrate Shells

Abstract

Marine biofouling is the growth of organisms on human-made structures placed in the ocean. Biofouling is a major issue for naval and maritime industries, with mitigation expenses costing millions of dollars each year. Lophelia pertusa is a cold water, deep sea coral found in the Gulf of Mexico and the North Atlantic. The purpose of this study is 1) to establish a marine biofouling test site on the New Jersey coast and 2) to answer whether differences in seawater chemistry will impact biomechanics, structure or composition of the L. pertusa skeleton.