Programs

Artificial & Natural Reefs
Our research in artificial and natural reefs has included:

• Trophodynamics of Gulf of Mexico Oil/Gas Platforms
• Affects of Sea Urchin populations on Fouling Communities of Oil/Gas Platforms
• Monitoring overall "health" of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary
• A series of studies at the reefs of the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve, Quintana Roo, Mexico
• Review of the reef associated fisheries for inclusion in a book on the reef resources of the Southern Gulf of Mexico
• Long-term monitoring of the coral reef system of the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve, Quintana Roo, Mexico
• Examination of a mass spawning of reef corals within the Veracruz Reef System and potential consequences for reefs in the northern Gulf of Mexico

Coastal Ecology & Management
Our research in Coastal Ecology & Management includes:

• The use of GIS applications for surveying rookery islands
• Tidal flat ecology
• Shorebird and waterfowl ecology
• Riparian corridor characterizations
• Invasive species
• Rocky shores
• Benthic investigations in freshwater and coastal marshes, deltas, and estuaries
• Wetland ecology, restoration, creation, and enhancement

Current Coastal Research Projects:

• ASARCO Nature Reserve: Year One Implementation of Conservation Plan -ASARCO, Inc. Dr. Liz Smith, Principal Investigator
• Development of a Habitat-based Model of South Texas for Continental Populations of Redheads - U.S.G.S. Biological Resources Division. Dr. Liz Smith, Principal Investigator
• Hydrologic Assessment of Potential Restoration Sites in Nueces/Corpus Christi Bay - U.S.F.W.S. Coastal Ecosystems Team. Dr. Liz Smith, Principal Investigator
• Identification of Potential Conservation, Restoration and Enhancement Sites in the Texas Coastal Bend - Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program GIS Project Development - Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program. Dr. Liz Smith, Principal Investigator
• Characterization of Butterfly Communities within Native Riparian Corridors along Lower Rio Grande, Texas - funding pending. Dr. Liz Smith, Principal Investigator
• Functional Evaluation of Created seagrass Meadows in upper Laguna Madre, Texas. Dr. Liz Smith, Principal Investigator
• Environmental Impact Statement for The Generic Essential Fish Habitat Amendment to the fishery management plans of the Gulf of Mexico. An EIS for amendment of the Magnuson-Stevenson Fisheries Act. Dr. Kim Withers and Dr. Carl Beaver, Principal Investigators
• An examination of inshore shrimp fishery in Aransas, Corpus Christi, and Upper Laguna Madre bays of Texas. Drs. Withers, Dokken and Beaver, Principal Investigators
• Aquatic nuisance species. Dr. David Hicks, Principal Investigator
• Ballast water invasive species. Dr. David Hicks, Principal Investigator
• Coastal Assessment for Texas Parks & Wildlife. Dr. Kim Withers, Principal Investigator

Ecotoxicology
Our research in Ecotoxicology includes:

• Marine sediment and water analysis
• Use of passive samplers for sediment quality assessment studies
• Effects of contaminants and environmental factors on behavior, growth, reproduction and survival of marine and estuarine organisms
• Culture of toxicity test organisms
• Toxicity Identification Evaluation (TIE) studies
• Development of novel sediment toxicity test methods

Current Ecotoxicology Research Projects:

• A General Methodology for Evaluating Bed Sediments for Narcosis Toxicity using Passive Samplers and Sediment Profile Imaging
  Dr. Marion Nipper, Principal Investigator
• Development of Sensitive Sublethal Toxicity Tests with Cnidarians from the Gulf of Mexico
  Dr. Marion Nipper, Principal Investigator
• Effects of Globally Transported African Dust to Caribbean Marine Ecosystems
Dr. Marion Nipper and Dr. Scott Carr, Principal Investigators
• Development of a Sediment Profile Imaging and Micro-sampling System (SPIMS) for Evaluating Quality of Bedded Sediments
  Dr. Marion Nipper and Dr. Scott Carr Principal Investigators
• Development of a Planar Optode-based System for Evaluating the Effects of Contaminants and Other Stressors on Benthic Communities and Processes
  Drs. Marion Nipper and Scott Carr. Principal Investigators

Water Quality
Our research in Water Quality includes:

• Trace metals investigations and analysis
• Nutrient Loading
• Affects of water quality on benthic organisms
• Fecal coliform analysis
• Stormwater and sewage treatment plant outfalls

Current Water Quality Research Projects:

• Nueces Bay Total Maximum Daily Load Project. Brien A. Nicolau and Erin M. Hill, Principal Investigators

Education & Outreach
Our research in Education & Outreach includes:

• Workshops
• Field Trips
• Educational materials, such as signs, pamphlets, and other materials
• Seminars

Current Education & Outreach Projects:

• National Ocean Sciences Bowl. Dr. Liz Smith, Principal Investigator
• Coastal Aquatic Education Program. Jay Tarkington, Principal Investigator
• Educational signs for Shamrock Island. Dr. Smith, Principal Investigator