Projects

Investigating the distribution of, and potential impacts from, the Piney Point phosphate processing retention pond water release into Tampa Bay. Rapid response field effort aboard the EC 24' Capehorn research vessel on April, 7, 2021 collected samples with Dr. Patrick Schwing from Eckerd College and Dr. Steven Murawski, a collaborator at USF College of Marine Science. Samples were collected along two transects from the shoreline into the Bay from Port Manatee and from Bishops Harbor. At each station, surface sediments and large volumes of water were collected as well as measurement of water salinity, temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen at different water depths. A representative sample of fishes in the region was also obtained to be analyzed by Dr. Murawski for comparison to pre-event fish collections in the area and results of the water and sediment analyses.

Samples will be analyzed by the Eckerd team of Drs. Larson, Schwing and Brooks, as well as students, for various parameters including naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM), such as radium, sedimentology, and biological indicators including foraminifera. Experimental work will also be performed to identify potential indicators that may be unique to such types of events. Samples will be shared with collaborators and results compared to work toward an integrated understanding of the event and how it evolves over time throughout the ecosystem. Future sampling trips are being planned to continue to monitor and investigate the longer-term potential impacts and response.

Since 2010 multiple interdisciplinary research projects have been investigating benthic environments of the Gulf of Mexico.

This includes ~$1.2 million of funding over 10 years by the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative to determine the impacts of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico. This funding was associates with 3 Consortium (C-IMAGE, DEEP-C, and REDIRECT) projects focusing on determining the natural sedimentation patterns in the Gulf of Mexico and the impacts of oil spill events such as the DwH (2010, northern Gulf of Mexico) and Ixtoc-1 (1979-90, southern Gulf of Mexico).

Sediment cores were collected on over 8 years on many research cruises through out the Gulf of Mexico including off the the NW coast of Cuba.

Continuing study of the benthos of the Gulf of Mexico will further the understanding of processes that influence sedimentation patterns, including transport mechanisms, and redistribution down-slope.

Cuba: Coastal Evolution, Sedimentation Patterns, Event Stratigraphy

St. Lucia: Influence of Sedimentation Near Reefs, Natural and Anthropogenic influences.

Hurricane Irma (2017) - USVI, Cuba, and FL Keys