The study of the biology and ecology of Horseshoe Crabs has expanded over the last three decades. Thanks in large part to these research efforts, their haemato-detection system has proven to be a seminal detection system against sepsis and other bacteriological contaminants, thereby supporting the development of anti-COVID-19 vaccine.
One of the fascinating outcomes of the work with horseshoe crabs has been the international inclusion. Through the establishment of the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) Horseshoe Crab Scientific Specialist Group (SSG). The group aims to protect horseshoe crabs in the world through collaborative effort in conservation of their populations and habitats, and in raising public awareness of their importance in evolutionary history, marine coastal ecology, and biomedical uses.
This compendium collection is a compellation of news media products; conference/colloquium workshops; public lectures; artistic renderings; references; manuscripts; photos; committee minutes and casual observations. All that is presented here provides a smorgasbord of intellectual results and products in a single document that the reader would be able to prowl through each individual contribution to gain a personal perspective, or tidbits of knowledge unattainable solely in the traditional scientific or journalistic format and search process.
John T. Tanacredi, Ph.D. is Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences in the Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Studies Department and Director of the Center for Environmental Research and Coastal Oceans Monitoring (CERCOM) Field Station, at Molloy College, Rockville Centre, New York. He has held Research Associate positions at the Wildlife Conservation Society, New York Aquarium -Osborn Laboratories of Marine Science; at The American Museum of Natural History, at the Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, and co-chair of the Conservation Committee of the Explorers Club. A Research Ecologist for 26 years in the US National Park Service, serving as Chief of the Division of Natural Resources and as one of the NPS's Coastal Natural Resource Specialist duty stationed for 9 years at the Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, Narragansett, RI. An Environmental Analyst of the U.S. Coast Guard, Bridge Administration preparingNEPA environmental impact statements for bridge and highway construction in six eastern US states and was a U.S. Navy Flight Meteorologist "Hurricane Hunter"
Dr. Tanacredi received his doctorate in Environmental Health Engineering from Polytechnic University, M.S. degree in Environmental Health Sciences from Hunter College, Institute of Health Sciences, CUNY and BS in Biological Sciences from Richmond College, CUNY
He has continued his Long Island, Horseshoe Crab habitat inventory of some 115 locations tracking Horseshoe Crab breeding conditions and habitat. He is one of the founding members of the IUCN-SSG (International Union for the Conservation of Nature - Scientific Specialists Group for Horseshoe Crabs) and principal coordinator of several International Conferences on Horseshoe Crab Conservation and Biology. He has published over 65 peer reviewed scientific research publications, written, and edited 7 books and has been included and interviewed in a host of TV, Radio, and Social Media Outlets.
His co-edited book "Conservation and Biology of Horseshoe Crabs", Springer, 2009 was one of the initiating factors in conducting the subsequent Asian Horseshoe Crab Conferences providing considerable support for including all four Horseshoe Crabs species on the IUCN's "Red List". His latest book, "The Redesigned Earth: An Introduction to Ecology for Engineers as if the Earth Really Mattered" (2019), by Springer- Nature, has received rave reviews.
