Project Explorer Archive - Page 2 of 6

Analyzing Dive Shop Conduct and Diver Behavior in Conservation Area

This study examines the feasibility of implementing a voluntary marine industry education program within the Kristin Jacobs Coral Reef Ecosystem Conservation Area in southeast Florida, aiming to address threats to the region’s coral reef ecosystem.

Developing Sustainable Angling Solution for Reef Fishing

This project addresses critical issues in recreational reef fishing by developing a patentable multi-use product to promote sustainable angling practices and mitigate barotrauma, thereby enhancing fish survival rates. Recognizing the significance of the recreational sector in coastal economies and ecosystem management, the project aims to ensure the long-term viability of fishing activities while supporting local communities and maintaining ecological balance.

Unraveling Seagrass Meadow Diversity’s Impact on Sediment Carbon Storage

Through field surveys and experiments in Cedar Key, Florida, this research explores the impact of meadow history, stability, and biodiversity on carbon storage and emissions. The Florida Sea Grant fellowship funding will be used to support the student’s final stages of dissertation through publication, extension, and outreach.

Riverine Iron and Estuarine Systems

Researchers propose establishing the isotopic compositions of iron (Fe) in five key rivers and corresponding estuaries, alongside mixing experiments, to understand how riverine-derived Fe behaves in coastal and offshore waters of the West Florida Shelf. This effort aims to enhance understanding of the processes governing primary production and Harmful Algal Bloom events, while improving global data sets and biogeochemical model predictions regarding bioavailable Fe sources to the WFS.

Stakeholder Perceptions of Offshore Aquaculture in the Gulf

This project tackles obstacles hindering offshore aquaculture development in the U.S., focusing on the Velella Epsilon project near Sarasota, Florida. Despite attempts to alleviate public concerns through engagement and data collection, delays in permitting due to litigation and opposition have occurred, prompting stakeholder research to understand public perceptions and promote informed decision-making.

Assessment of Eastern Oyster Filtration Rates

In response to stakeholder concerns for local ecosystem health, UF scientists partnered with GTMNERR to launch the GNBBP in 2021, aiming to understand bivalve filtration services. Given the variability in filtration rates observed in laboratory experiments with eastern oysters, a one-year fellowship was sought to conduct in-situ studies to elucidate spatiotemporal conditions in the Guana River Estuary, offering ecologically relevant insights for the GNBBP.

Recruitment and Trophic Dynamics of Snook

This research investigates the expansion of common snook’s range to the Suwannee River region in Florida and aims to understand their recruitment dynamics and trophic impacts on red drum and spotted seatrout.

Biomonitoring for Ecosystem Health

Estuaries, vital coastal ecosystems, face numerous human-induced pressures, posing challenges for effective monitoring and mitigation. Utilizing DNA metabarcoding, this proposal aims to create a comprehensive toolkit for analyzing plankton communities in estuarine waters. The study will provide valuable baseline data for conservation efforts and offer transferable tools for coastal ecosystem assessment across the United States.

Using Co-Production of Knowledge to Reconstruct Coastal Food Webs

Coastal ecosystems, crucial for fisheries and other services, are globally degraded, necessitating restoration efforts. To effectively manage these ecosystems, resource managers require comprehensive understanding beyond temporally stunted baselines, which this proposed research aims to address by constructing deep time and present-day food web models for the Indian River Lagoon (IRL) and comparing their metrics to inform recovery targets and management strategies.

Impacts of Iron on Eutrophic Nutrients in Two Florida Waterbodies

Late 20th-century research highlighted nitrogen and phosphorus’s influence on algal growth, shaping modern environmental management strategies. Despite efforts to manage nutrient runoff, Lake Okeechobee and the St. Lucie Estuary continue to experience increasing phosphorus levels, with sedimentary iron likely playing a significant role in phosphorus trapping, highlighting the need for further investigation into sediment iron-phosphorus interactions and their impact on algal bloom formation.

Hurricane Effects on Rental Housing Market

This research examines how high-intensity hurricane events affect rental prices and demographic composition in coastal communities, utilizing econometric techniques like the difference in differences design to isolate these effects. While existing studies indicate an increase in transacted prices post-hurricane, this research fills a gap in understanding by focusing on rental prices, thus enhancing our understanding of hurricane impacts on vulnerable populations in coastal areas.

Gulf Coast Oyster System Impacts Project

Collapsing oyster populations threaten dependent fisheries and ecosystem services, particularly in Florida’s Big Bend, where significant reef loss has occurred over nearly three decades. This research aims to assess how drivers such as freshwater discharge, wave energy, and harvest impact oyster habitat morphologies, potentially revealing transition thresholds between reef, clump, and bed formations, thus informing management strategies for oyster habitat restoration and conservation efforts.

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