Much of our research is concentrated around Long Island, NY. However, we are involved in projects which have us doing field work in Florida, and internationally in Jamaica and Panama. Below are lists of locations and research:
Long Island
1) Hudson River
- Assessment of the ecosystem value of restored Hudson River oyster reefs
2) Jamaica Bay
- National Park Service estuarine condition monitoring
- Effect of hydroperiod and organic load on salt marsh health
3) Great South Bay
- National Park Service estuarine condition monitoring
- Genetic assessment of eelgrass Zostera marina
- Impacts of multiple stressors on eelgrass populations
- Great South Bay ecosystem study
- Effects of hard clam restoration on benthic biodiversity
- Shallow water hard clam survey
4) Moriches Bay and Forge River
- Seagrass habitat mapping study
- Assessment of benthic macrofauna in the eutrophied Forge River
5) Shinnecock Bay
- Genetic assessment of eelgrass populations
- Impacts of multiple stressors on eelgrass populations
- Impact of nutrient loading, bivalve filtration and plankton communities on estuarine resources
- Influence of ocean exchange on nutrients, plankton, SAV and shellfish
- Shinnecock Bay Restoration Project
- Investigation of mechanisms controlling size and formation of natural seagrass patches
- Monitoring newly settled blue crab densities in multiple habitats
- Investigating the impacts of an invasive alga on native fauna
6) Peconic Bays
- Genetic assessment of eelgrass populations
- Assessment of groundwater herbicide toxicity on seagrass
- Evaluation of groundwater on eelgrass and epiphyte grazer populations
- Restoration of Peconic bay scallop populations and fisheries
- Evaluation of alternative habitats on bay scallop survival and growth
7) Orient Harbor
- Restoration of Peconic bay scallop populations
- Impacts of seagrass patch architecture on scallop recruitment, growth and survival
Southeastern U.S.
1) Gulf Coast
- Investigating the genetic diversity of turtle grass, Thalassia testudinum
2) Florida Bay/Florida Keys
- Marine reserve effectiveness in restoring coastal food webs
- Impacts of freshwater discharge variability and benthic and pelagic grazing on phytoplankton in Florida Bay
- The role of filter feeding sponges on controlling phyoplankton blooms and seagrass health
- The role of herbivorous fish in creating nutrient “hot spots” around patch reefs
Caribbean
1) Discovery Bay, Jamaica
- Winter field course in Tropical Marine Ecology
- Influence of megaresort shore development on reef sedimentation and sponge communities
- Impacts of leaf tissue nutrient content on herbivory
2) Bocas Del Torro, Panama
- Investigation of ocean acidification on sponge-coral interactions