Digital Commons Network^™

Inspiring A Community To Participate In Restoring The Lynnhaven River’S Water Quality (Virginia Beach, Virginia), Laurie Carroll Sorabella

Presentations

Ten years ago, bacteria levels in 99% of the Lynnhaven River exceeded the Department of Health’s limits for shellfish consumption. Lynnhaven River NOW is a community-based organization with a clean and healthy river as our goal. We track the area of the river that meets shellfish standards in order to measure water quality progress. We have engaged residents, the city, and partners in the restoration effort and have now improved water quality such that 42% of the river meets the stringent standards.

Ontogeny, Behavior, And Ecology Of The Sea Turtle "Lost Years", Kate L. Mansfield

Presentations

Very little is known about sea turtles during their first years at sea, a period described as the sea turtle “lost years”. Filling these data gaps required a new technological approach including the use of small, solar-powered satellite tags and novel tag attachment methods. Data from the first long-term tracks of oceanic stage "lost years" sea turtles provide new insights to early sea turtle life history and ontogeny, revolutionizing how we now perceive the sea turtle “lost years”.

Snorkeling A 323myo Paleozooic Bay Community Structure And Depositional Environment Of The Bear Gulch Limestone Of Montana, Eileen D. Grogan, Richard Lund

Presentations

The Carboniferous Bear Gulch Limestone of Montana preserves the fauna and flora of a shallow, tropical marine bay, providing a rare glimpse into bay ecology and community structure in deep time. We discuss how museum fish collections are vital resources that assist us in resurrecting the fossil fish and how we derived a depositional model that explains the quality of preservation in this lagerstatte and records the diversity of its fishes (chondrichthyan, sarcopterygian and actinopterygians).

Past, Present And Future Of Research At Vims, Mark Luckenbach

Presentations

Mark Luchenbach, Virginia Institute of Marine Science and School of Marine Science, College of William & Mary, Associate Dean of Research and Advisory Services, presents the research of the institute, highlighting the exponential growth of research output.

As part of the year-long 75th anniversary celebration, this symposium brings together presentations from both alumni and current students to provide a historical and forward-looking perspective on the impacts that members of the VIMS community have made to the world.

Detecting And Understanding Threats To Eelgrass In The Gulf Of Maine: The Times, They Are A-Changin’, Hillary A. Neckles

Presentations

Eelgrass forms extensive meadows in coastal and estuarine waters throughout northern New England and Atlantic Canada. Threats to ecosystem stability include indirect impacts of watershed development and direct physical alterations associated with coastal construction, boating operations, and commercial fishing. Effects of human activities are exacerbated by natural disturbances such as severe weather events and biotic, geomorphic, and climatic processes. Spatial simulation models have shown even small scale disturbances in eelgrass meadows to require decades for full recovery. However, lack of consistent trend data of sufficient duration, spatial extent, and resolution often impedes anticipating threats before management solutions become cost prohibitive. …

Living Shorelines: A Novel Remedial Approach For Contaminated Sediments, Christian Hauser

Presentations

From 1926 to 1986, the former Lordship Gun Club, located on Long Island Sound in Stratford, Connecticut, was operated as a trap and skeet shooting facility, which resulted in the discharge of lead shot into surrounding waters and sediments. Between 1987 and 2000, studies were conducted to inform remedial decision-making; remediation occurred in several phases from 2000 to 2011. Remedial action involved excavation of shot-containing sediments and associated vegetation from the intertidal zone, lead shot extraction from excavated sediments, and replacement of sediments to their native locations. Subsequent monitoring has revealed that this action destabilized intertidal sediments and led to …

Reflections From A (Mostly) Non-Academic Career: Looking Back And Moving Forward, Paul Sandifer

Presentations

Dr. Sandifer, retired Chief Science Advisor for NOAA's National Ocean Service, presents his experiences at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science and his service as a scientist for government agencies.

As part of the year-long 75th anniversary celebration, this symposium brings together presentations from both alumni and current students to provide a historical and forward-looking perspective on the impacts that members of the VIMS community have made to the world.

School Of Marine Science History And Current Status, Linda Schaffner

Presentations

This presentation opened the VIMS 75th Anniversary Alumni Research Symposium. Dr. Linda Schaffner, VIMS Alumnus and Associate Dean of Academic Studies for the Virginia Institute of Marine Science and the School of Marine Science, College of William and Mary, presents history and current state of the school.

As part of the year-long 75th anniversary celebration, this symposium brings together presentations from both alumni and current students to provide a historical and forward-looking perspective on the impacts that members of the VIMS community have made to the world.