April 4, 2016—San Diego, CA—The third week in May marks the arrival in San Diego of a distinguished scholar on Mexico’s Sea of Cortéz region.  Dr. Markes E. Johnson, Professor Emeritus at Williams College, will visit our city from Monday, May 16, to Friday, May 20, 2016, in promotion of his recently published book, Gulf of California Coastal Ecology: Insights from the Present and Patterns from the Past.

Gulf of California Coastal Ecology was published by Sunbelt Publications this January.  The book serves as a handbook for students, scholars, and outdoor enthusiasts and takes an oft forgotten natural history approach to the ecology of this south-of-the-border region.  Rather than presenting fossil records and existing ecological features in isolation, Johnson draws on more than 12 million years of fossil record to make connections between multiple, interlocking ecosystems that exist today, providing a holistic overview on geography, ecology, and geology.

A current nominee for the prestigious James H. Shea Award for the writing of earth science materials, Johnson has published several books as well as scientific papers and articles on the geology of the Sea of Cortéz region.   While in San Diego, Dr. Johnson will deliver several lectures on topics introduced in the book. These include a lecture on tectonic decapitation of a Pliocene delta for the San Diego Association of Geologists, a lecture on the journey of Ed Ricketts and John Steinbeck to the Sea of Cortez for the President’s Council at the San Elijo Lagoon Conservancy, a seminar on ecological succession recorded in fossil Pleistocene reefs for students and faculty at Scripps’ Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation, and a public presentation on Isla Monserrat at San Diego’s Adventure 16.  Gulf of California Coastal Ecology will be available for sale through Adventure 16.  Event details are as follows:

Date: Monday, May 16, 2016

Time: 7:00 pm (Happy half-hour begins at 6:30)

Host: Adventure 16

Lecture topic: “To the Roof of Monserrat: Climbing for Science in Baja California.”

Location: Adventure 16 –4620 Alvarado Canyon Rd. San Diego, CA 9212

Phone: (619) 283-2374

Cost: Free and Open to the Public

To inquire about one of these lectures, about scheduling a lecture with Dr. Johnson, or for media inquiries, contact Kara Murphy of Sunbelt Publications at (619) 258-4911 ext. 114.