A series of informal talks by Bigelow Lab scientists at the Carriage House in East Boothbay kicked off Tuesday evening with a presentation by Mike Sieracki.

The talks, Bigelow scientists hope, will give them a chance to meet their future East Boothbay neighbors and share their passion for ocean science over drinks and hors d'oeuvres.

"The talks will not be at a graduate school level," said Charlie O'Kelly, a senior research scientist at Bigelow. "This is a relaxed opportunity for us to tell everyone what it is we do, and why it's so much fun and of so much value."

Speakers will give short presentations, and questions are welcomed. Before and after the presentation, attendees will have time to meet and mingle.

Sieracki's Tuesday talk was titled "Oceanography and the Invisible Garden." He explained, in layman's terms, how he studies the microscopic plants and animals at the very bottom of the ocean's food chain - a section he calls the "microbial food web."

It's hard to understand how small the organisms Sieracki studies are, he said, but it's helpful to consider that he deals in units called microliters.

"There are 20 microliters in a drop of water," said Sieracki. "All of the organisms needed for a functioning ecosystem - grazers, recyclers, organisms that feed on grazers - can be found in one microliter."

These tiniest organisms, said Sieracki, form the fabric of life in the ocean, and that's why they're so important to the oceanic food chain.

"All of the other big organisms are embroidery on the fabric," Sieracki said. "But without the fabric, you wouldn't have the embroidery."

Sieracki also studies the connection between the "classic" food web and the "microbial" food web and how the two are interrelated.

Peter Larsen, a senior research scientist at Bigelow, says the laboratory deeply appreciates the support they have received from Tom Carroll, the proprietor of the Carriage House.

"We couldn't do these talks without Tom," said Larsen. "He has generously provided us with a venue and the complimentary hors d'oeuvres, and we're very thankful."

Carroll says he's just excited to help bring people together for interesting and educational discussions.

"We're lucky and blessed to live in a place like this," Carroll said. "For us to be able to provide a colloquium with the world class scientists who are right in our backyard - we shouldn't pass that up,"

The talks will be held every other Tuesday from now until November. They begin at 6:00 p.m.

The next will be on Tuesday, June 10. Rick Wahle will give a talk titled "Lobster Science from Hatch to Catch."

Wahle has studied lobsters for 18 years. He will talk about how he has studied what it is that makes lobsters flourish or die, and how he has tried to use that information to predict the size of the lobster harvest.

For more information about Bigelow Laboratory or the upcoming talks, see www.bigelow.org or call 633-9600.