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.
The Florida Atlantic University Harbor Branch Ocean Institute is leading this research effort. The primary objective of this proposed research is to conduct incubations with natural sediments to examine the potential inherent resilience of benthic ecosystems due to their terrestrial mineral load. Several potential system perturbations will be explored in the laboratory, including hydrocarbon spill simulations and mineral deposition events, and several indicators will be examined, including sulfides, the health of organismal proxies (i.e. foraminifera), and heavy metal fractionation.
This project is funded by a fellow collaborartive NAS Gulf Research Program.
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Florida Atlantic University
- Dr. Jordon Beckler (PI)
- Matthew Quinan (gradaute student)
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Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences
- Dr. Christoph Aeppli (Co-PI)
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Florida A&M University
- Dr. Michael Martínez-Colón (Co-PI)
- Ivory Council (graduate student)
