Pollutant Load Reduction In Sarasota Bay, Florida (Usa): Target Development, Implementation, And Outcomes,
2026
Environmental Science Associates
Pollutant Load Reduction In Sarasota Bay, Florida (Usa): Target Development, Implementation, And Outcomes, David Tomasko, Mike Wessel, Jon Perry, Chris Anastasiou, Ryan Gandy
Gulf and Caribbean Research
Between 2006 and 2012, seagrass coverage across Sarasota Bay expanded by 1,108 ha, a 28% increase. During the subsequent years of 2012−2020, 830 ha of seagrass were lost, a 16% decline. In response to these findings, resource management efforts focused on determining the likely reason(s) why those 2 periods had such contrasting trends, to come up with strategies to reverse these losses. Based on results from the seagrass data, the 7—y period of 2006−2012 was designated a “reference period” and water quality data were compared against the subsequent 7—y designated “degraded period” of 2013−2019. Annual average chlorophyll-a (chl-a …
Indirect Effects Of Coral Bleaching On Tursiops Truncatus Diet And Foraging Behavior In Bocas Del Toro, Panama,
2026
Claremont Colleges
Indirect Effects Of Coral Bleaching On Tursiops Truncatus Diet And Foraging Behavior In Bocas Del Toro, Panama, Annabel Fiero
Scripps Senior Theses
Indirect effects, where another species or factor mediates the effects of a given species, are critical to ecosystem structure and resilience. Shifts in fish community structure, as a result of rapidly declining coral reefs in the Caribbean due to warming-induced bleaching, pose a threat to apex predators like Tursiops truncatus (bottlenose dolphins). Branching corals create habitat niches for numerous fish species. These fish rely on coral for food and habitat, and in turn provide food for upper trophic levels. Prior research has highlighted how coral bleaching will disrupt Acroporid reef building corals and fish community structure, but the effects of …
New Hampshire Shellfish Under Pressure: Physiological Effects Of Climate Change And Toxic Algal Blooms,
2026
University of New Hampshire - Main Campus
New Hampshire Shellfish Under Pressure: Physiological Effects Of Climate Change And Toxic Algal Blooms, Olivia Boyan
UNH URC Open (2026 and after)
Climate change driven effects on the ocean, including warming water, acidification, and changes in the presence of harmful algal blooms (HABs) are causing metabolic pressures on marine organisms, particularly in the Gulf of Maine. Shellfish are susceptible to these pressures because their metabolic processes including growth and respiration are influenced by water temperature, pH, and consumption of algal toxins. This study investigates the effects of ocean warming, acidification, and diet toxicity level on the growth and respiration of Blue mussels (Mytilus edulis), Eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica), and Sea scallops (Placopecten magellanicus). Selected individuals were subjected to water treatments simulating ambient …
Parasite Party: Investigating Ecological Drivers Of Trematode Parasite Prevalence Across The Isles Of Shoals,
2026
University of New Hampshire - Main Campus
Parasite Party: Investigating Ecological Drivers Of Trematode Parasite Prevalence Across The Isles Of Shoals, Aimee D. Bousquet, April Blakeslee, Amy Fowler, David Buck
UNH URC Open (2026 and after)
Parasite Party: Investigating Ecological Drivers of Trematode Parasite Prevalence Across the Isles of Shoals
Analyzing The Loss Of Material From A Non-Plastic Oyster Reef Restoration Alternative,
2026
University of Central Florida
Analyzing The Loss Of Material From A Non-Plastic Oyster Reef Restoration Alternative, Lindsay M. Dolan
Honors Undergraduate Theses
Oyster reefs are declining globally due to human impacts such as overharvesting, boat wakes, and climate change. Associated ecosystem services, including water filtration, fish and invertebrates’ habitats, and shoreline erosion protection, are lost when these reefs disappear. Traditionally, restoration efforts employed plastic mesh shell bags filled with recycled oyster shells as they provide recruitment substrate for new oyster spat and wave attenuating properties to protect shorelines. Due to rising concerns over microplastic pollution, non-plastic alternatives are being tested. Alternative restoration material must provide the same benefits to reef formation while maintaining structural integrity long enough for a healthy reef to …
A Quantitative Analysis Of Burrowing And Subterranean Locomotion In The Sand Lance Using A Transparent Sediment,
2026
Graduate School of Fisheries Sciences, Hokkaido University, Hakodate, Hokkaido, Japan
A Quantitative Analysis Of Burrowing And Subterranean Locomotion In The Sand Lance Using A Transparent Sediment, Issei Fujita, Makoto Tomiyasu, Jun Yamamoto, Yasuzumi Fujimori
Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan
Sand lances (Ammodytes spp.) rely on rapid burrowing into sediment for predator avoidance. Although their sediment grain-size preferences are well documented, the biomechanics underlying burrowing success remain unclear because natural substrates are opaque. Using a transparent-sediment system, we directly visualized and quantified burrowing kinematics to: (1) test the effect of body size (total length, TL) on burrowing success; (2) examine entry mechanisms (e.g., swimming speed, entry angle); and (3) describe locomotion within sediment. Logistic regression on the full dataset (N = 28 fish) identified TL as the primary determinant of success, with larger individuals exhibiting significantly higher success …
Cruise Network Design Under Sequential Duopolistic Entry,
2026
Department of Logistics Management, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Cruise Network Design Under Sequential Duopolistic Entry, Ta-Hui Yang, Ching-Hui Tang, Wan-Tien O
Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan
This study addresses the network design for international cruise services in a duopolistic market, where carriers enter and make decisions sequentially. The leader, who makes the first move, makes decisions as there is no competitor in the market. The follower, who makes decisions later, has to design their network considering the existing leader’s network. The leader’s model is a mixed integer linear problem while the follower’s model is a mixed integer nonlinear problem. Therefore, a heuristic is proposed to solve the problem. The commercially available general algebraic modeling system is used in conjunction with its different solvers to solve the …
Effect Of Heat Treatment On The Corrosion And Wear Behavior Of 17-4 Ph Stainless Steel For Marine Applications,
2026
Department of Optoelectronics and Materials Technology，National Taiwan Ocean University，Keelung 202,Taiwan
Effect Of Heat Treatment On The Corrosion And Wear Behavior Of 17-4 Ph Stainless Steel For Marine Applications, Syuan Tai, I-Kon Lee, Ming-Yuan Lin, Kang-Yu Liao, Chin-Chun Chang, Hung-Bin Lee
Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan
This study explores the tribocorrosion behavior of conventionally cast 17-4 PH stainless steel under real seawater conditions, focusing on the effects of three heat treatments (Solution, H900, H1100). Electrochemical tests, tribocorrosion experiments, SEM, XPS, and quantitative analysis were used to establish a three-stage tribocorrosion mechanism. Results show that H900 exhibits superior corrosion and wear resistance, while H1100 suffers increased material loss and surface cracking at high potentials. Elemental analysis revealed NbC migration forming third-body particles, which, although briefly reducing friction, induced local stress concentration and crack initiation. The findings highlight the critical influence of microstructure, passive film stability, and third-body …
Enhancing Underwater Imagery And Organism Detection Using Reinforcement Learning,
2026
College of Engineering Guindy, Anna University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Enhancing Underwater Imagery And Organism Detection Using Reinforcement Learning, K. Arul Deepa, P. Ramya, Karpaga Vinodha, Dharmaraja C
Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan
Underwater environments pose significant challenges in assessing image quality and organism detection due to light scattering and absorption, which limits visibility and color fidelity. Existing solutions often fail to effectively address these challenges, resulting in suboptimal image quality and hindering organism identification. This paper examines the problem through a dual-focused approach: enhancing underwater images and detecting organisms using the Underwater Image Enhancement Benchmark (UIEB) dataset. The first step introduces a state-of-the-art method for image enhancement by applying reinforcement learning (RL) principles. By formulating the enhancement process as a Markov Decision Process (MDP)—where states are represented by image features and actions …
Hybridization And Introgression In Marine Invertebrates: Population Genomics Of Phymactis Papillosa And Asterias Sea Stars,
2026
CUNY City College
Hybridization And Introgression In Marine Invertebrates: Population Genomics Of Phymactis Papillosa And Asterias Sea Stars, Christopher J. Dookie
Dissertations and Theses
Hybridization and introgression are evolutionary significant processes in marine invertebrates (Sanford & Kelly,2011) yet genome-wide investigations of gene flow in these taxa remain limited relative to vertebrate systems (Marchi et al., 2021). This thesis presents genomic analyses of hybridization and introgression in two marine invertebrates occupying contrasting oceanographic settings and characterized by contrasting genomic datasets: restriction-site associated DNA sequencing (RADseq) SNP data for the eastern Pacific sea anemone Phymactis papillosa and whole genome sequencing (WGS) data for the North Atlantic sea stars Asterias rubens and Asterias forbesi. For each system, I applied coalescent-based species tree inference using CASTER (Zhang …
Non-Native Seagrass, Halophila Stipulacea, Reaches Northern Caribbean,
2026
Florida International University
Non-Native Seagrass, Halophila Stipulacea, Reaches Northern Caribbean, Elizabeth R. Whitman, Elizabeth W. Stoner, Stephanie K. Archer
Gulf and Caribbean Research
Halophila stipulacea, a seagrass native to the western Indian Ocean, has become an established invader throughout the western Atlantic, where it often outcompetes native seagrass species across diverse environmental conditions. Here, we report its presence in the northern Bahamas, ca. 2300 km northwest of the first Caribbean record in Grenada and 304 km northeast of the recent observation in Florida, USA. This range expansion represents the northernmost Caribbean record to date and highlights the species’ capacity for long-distance dispersal and continued spread within the region. Our observation underscores the need for coordinated monitoring efforts to track the trajectory of …
Notes On The Ichthyofauna Associated With Artisanal Fishing In A Severely Impacted Estuary In The Southwestern Gulf Of Mexico During The Rainy Season,
2026
Universidad Veracruzana
Notes On The Ichthyofauna Associated With Artisanal Fishing In A Severely Impacted Estuary In The Southwestern Gulf Of Mexico During The Rainy Season, Rodrigo Vivanco-Cadena, César Meiners-Mandujano, Roberto Martín Cruz-Castán
Gulf and Caribbean Research
No abstract provided.
A Marine Science Career In The Eastern Caribbean: Witnessing Four Decades Of Change,
2026
Centre for Resource Management and Environemental Studies
A Marine Science Career In The Eastern Caribbean: Witnessing Four Decades Of Change, Hazel A. Oxenford
Gulf and Caribbean Research
Reflecting back on a long and rewarding career from 1980—2023 at the University of the West Indies, based on the small island of Barbados, this paper tracks the many and often remarkable changes in the marine environment, in attitudes and policies, and available opportunities that have influenced my journey as a marine scientist in an ever—changing but resilient Caribbean. From free—access fisheries to degraded stocks, from coral to algal dominated reefs, from flyingfish to Almaco Jacks, from sandy beaches and clear water to a Sargassum crisis — these are just some of the fundamental changes in the marine environment that …
Histochemical Alteration, Protein Nitration, And Antioxidant Expression In Oysters As Early Warning Indicators For Microplastic Contamination In The Texas Gulf Coast,
2026
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Histochemical Alteration, Protein Nitration, And Antioxidant Expression In Oysters As Early Warning Indicators For Microplastic Contamination In The Texas Gulf Coast, Rebecca Muñiz, Md Faisal Amin, Md. Saydur Rahman
School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications
Microplastics are widely distributed in aquatic environments and have been detected in numerous organisms. Marine bivalves are among the most affected aquatic organisms by microplastics due to their filter-feeding behavior. In this study, 60 oysters were collected from two sites along the Texas Gulf Coast. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and Nile red staining were used to detect microplastics in oyster (Crassostrea virginica) tissues. We compared field and laboratory samples collected after a two-week depuration period to identify differences in the shape and size of microplastics in oyster tissues. Results from the field sites showed a large number of microplastics, …
A Preliminary Investigation Of Research Collaboration Through Scientific Paper Co-Authorship In The Gulf Of Mexico,
2026
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
A Preliminary Investigation Of Research Collaboration Through Scientific Paper Co-Authorship In The Gulf Of Mexico, Juliet Vallejo, Evelyn Roozee, Dongkyu Kim, Andrew M. Song, Christopher A. Gabler, Jasper R. De Vries, Antonia Sohns, Gordon M. Hickey, Owen Temby
School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications
It is well known that publications with collaborators from external institutions increase citations. This effect scales with spatial distance. There are also many barriers to long-distance collaborations, including linguistic differences, funding constraints, and the incremental costs of remote collaboration. This paper uses the Gulf of Mexico as a case study to examine long-distance research collaboration because it consists of three countries with diverse development levels and two prominent diplomatic languages, within a singular regional ecosystem of tremendous natural and economic value. This paper uses bibliometric network analysis to examine scientific research article co-authorship in the Gulf of Mexico from 2000 …
Evaluating Donor Site Recovery Following Halodule Wrightii Harvest For Restoration In Northwest Florida,
2026
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Evaluating Donor Site Recovery Following Halodule Wrightii Harvest For Restoration In Northwest Florida, Katie M. Konchar, Becca A. Hatchell, Colin P. Shea, Bradley T. Furman, Kent Smith
Gulf and Caribbean Research
Bare‑root harvesting of Halodule wrightii is widely used to supply donor material for seagrass restoration, yet the capacity of donor meadows to recover in near‑temperate systems remains poorly documented. We evaluated donor‑site recovery following bare‑root harvesting in St. Andrew Bay, northwest Florida—an estuary at the northern extent of Tropical Atlantic Bioregion 2 where H. wrightii exhibits strong seasonal senescence and a shortened growing season. Thirty harvest impact sites were monitored for 388 days to quantify changes in shoot density, percent frequency, and sediment elevation relative to nearby reference conditions. Shoot density and percent frequency at harvested sites converged with reference …
Example Imagery Survey Data And Project Files To Test Wisdam Software,
2026
Edith Cowan University
Example Imagery Survey Data And Project Files To Test Wisdam Software, Amanda Hodgson, Christophe Cleguer
Research Datasets
This example dataset is designed to support our WISDAM (Wildlife Image Survey Detection and Mapping) software—a free, open‑source application (available at www.WISDAMapp.org) created for researchers conducting wildlife imagery surveys. WISDAM enables users to generate data suitable for abundance estimation and spatial modelling from aerial photographic surveys of marine and terrestrial megafauna.
Population Genomics Data For The Temperate Seagrass Posidonia Sinuosa,
2026
Edith Cowan University
Population Genomics Data For The Temperate Seagrass Posidonia Sinuosa, John Whale, Elizabeth Sinclair, Chanelle Webster, Nicole Said, Ankje Frouws, David Field, Kathryn Mcmahon
Research Datasets
Seagrasses are flowering plants commonly found along coastal waters, globally, where they provide important ecosystem services such as habitat provision, sequestering carbon, and sediment stabilization. They can reproduce both clonally and sexually where sexual reproduction can result in new, potentially adaptive, variants and the existence of both reproductive methods means that meadows can be highly variable in clonal diversity. The temperate seagrass, Posidonia sinuosa, occurs across a latitudinal gradient along the Western Australian coastline. Some meadows have experienced significant decline as a result of industrialisation and urbanisation of coastal areas. We investigated spatial genetic diversity, structure, and local adaptation using …
Indigenous Stewardship And Co-Management In Action: A Case Study On Blue Carbon From A Mangrove Ecosystem On The Great Barrier Reef,
2026
Edith Cowan University
Indigenous Stewardship And Co-Management In Action: A Case Study On Blue Carbon From A Mangrove Ecosystem On The Great Barrier Reef, Micheli D.P. Costa, I. Noyan Yilmaz, Pawel Waryszak, Rory Crofts, Melissa Wartman, Pere Masqué, Brian Singleton, Gavin Singleton, Ashlyn Skeene, Lucy Friend, Peter I. Macreadie
Research outputs 2022 to 2026
Blue carbon ecosystems play a vital role in climate change mitigation and adaptation through their capacity to sequester and store organic carbon. Queensland, Australia, contains over 500,000 ha of mangroves, much of it under the stewardship of Traditional Custodians. The mangrove forests of the Bidakarra (Barron River) estuary provide a unique opportunity to demonstrate how Indigenous leadership, scientific research, and local industry partnerships can advance both ecological and cultural outcomes. We present a co-designed case study from Kukujum (Ellie Point), an area co-managed by Cairns Airport, Yirrganydji Gurabana Aboriginal Corporation, and the Yirrganydji Land and Sea Ranger Program through Dawul …
High Coral Thermal Tolerance At A Potentially Climate-Resistant Reef,
2026
Edith Cowan University
High Coral Thermal Tolerance At A Potentially Climate-Resistant Reef, Kate M. Quigley, C. Siqueira, Kira Brereton, Andrew H. Baird
Research outputs 2022 to 2026
Ecosystems globally are under increasing pressure from warming caused by climate change. However, some locations appear resistant to impacts. Although rare, these locations might be able to better resist damage from thermal stress. In marine environments, coral bleaching is widely viewed as one of the most pervasive stress responses threatening reef health, structure, and function. Yet we still have a poor understanding of the drivers of spatial and temporal variation in the scale and severity of coral bleaching. Here, we characterize a prolonged, intense, and widespread marine heatwave event and uncover a conspicuous lack of bleaching at the southernmost coral …
