Coral reefs in Jobos Bay (National Estuarine Research Reserve) are under duress by anthropogenic as well as by natural stressors. The main purpose of this project is to implement the FORAM Index and to determine which factors play a seasonal role in the water quality of the reefs. This project is funded by Puerto Rico Sea Grant.
GRADUATE STUDENTS
* not FAMU student
^ successfully defended
MASTERS (MSc)
Thesis Title: Benthic foraminifer and microbes as pollution bioindicators.
Thesis Title: Temporal effects of ocean acidification on reef-dwelling foraminifera
Thesis Title: Validating a Model of Microplastic Hotspots from Apalachicola Watershed to Apalachicola Bay
Thesis Title: Foraminifera and its microbial endobionts
Thesis Title: FORAM Index and coral reefs from Jobos Bay-Puerto Rico
*/^ Bryan O'Malley (University of South Florida-St. Petersburg, FL; committee member)
Thesis Title: Development of the Foram-AMBI for the Gulf of Mexico
*/^ Laurinda K. McEachern (University of South Florida-St. Petersburg, FL; committee member)
Thesis Title: Spatial and temporal levels of microplastics in Tampa Bay surface waters
*/^ Ashley Huber (University of South Florida-St. Petersburg, FL; co-major advisor)
Thesis Title: Trophic transfer of persistent organic pollutants and heavy metals in fiddler crabs from Jobos Bay-Puerto Rico
DOCTORAL (PhD)
* Christian Gfatter (Florida State University; committee member)
Dissertation Title: Redox sensitive trace metal analyses of foraminiferal calcite to better constrain ancient hypoxic marine environments
Dissertation Title: It takes two to tango: foraminifera and bacteria as bioindicators of estuarine health in tropical/subtropical environments.
*/^ Akram El-Kateb (University of Fribourg, Switzerland; committee member and external expert)
Dissertation Title: Lesser Syrtis (South of Tunisia): Phosphate industry contamination assessment using a multidisciplinary approach.al/subtropical environments.