Happening for the first time on the African continent, Iziko Museums of South Africa welcomed Jellyfish scientists from across the globe to the 6th International Jellyfish Blooms Symposium – from 4 until 6 November 2019 – at the Iziko South African Museum.
The symposium prioritised the advancement of students, of women, and of persons from developing nations; and in staying true to the focus on development, the 6th International Jellyfish Blooms Symposium collaborated with Iziko Museums to bring science and society together. Through a series of lectures by international delegates open to school groups and the general public; a training workshop for emerging scientists from the African continent using Iziko Museums’ scientific collections and world class facilities; as well as a thought-provoking exhibition on Jellyfish – this edition of the symposium highlighted humankind’s impact on the natural world.
With representatives from 25 countries and almost 150 presentations prepared, lecture topics included: Jellyfish mucus as a means to combat plastic pollution?; the Role of jellyfish in ecosystem structure and function: from predator-prey interactions to biogeochemical cycling; and The Human-Jellyfish Nexus, to name just a few.
© SABC Nuus. 7 November 2019
