Seaweed Research

Our lab is developing scalable methods to cultivate Gracilaria, a native red seaweed with commercial value and ecological benefits. This project focuses on improving biomass yield through controlled cultivation experiments, evaluating how factors such as light intensity, nutrient enrichment, and water flow dynamics influence growth performance.

We are also conducting a life cycle analysis (LCA) to assess the environmental sustainability of Gracilaria cultivation under different system designs. This includes evaluating energy inputs, resource use efficiency, and carbon and nitrogen sequestration potential, with the goal of identifying pathways to low-impact, climate-smart aquaculture.

This applied research supports efforts to build a regional seaweed industry in Florida, promote nutrient bioextraction, and explore the potential of Gracilaria in bioplastic production, biofertilizers, and animal feed. Students gain hands-on experience in tank system maintenance, experimental design, and sustainability assessment while contributing to real-world aquaculture solutions.

Our lab is supporting regional efforts to document and identify macroalgal diversity along Florida’s Gulf Coast. This project aims to build a reference library of native and invasive seaweed species through field collections, morphological analysis, and molecular barcoding.

We are working to:

• Conduct seasonal surveys across various coastal habitats
  
  

• Use morphological keys and DNA barcoding (e.g., rbcL, COI) for accurate species identification
  
  

• Document habitat preferences and distribution patterns of key species, including those relevant to aquaculture and bioindicator use
  
  

• Create a digital field guide to aid in identification by researchers, students, and local stakeholders
  
  

This project contributes to the foundational knowledge needed to support sustainable aquaculture, ecosystem monitoring, and restoration planning. Students participate in fieldwork, sample preparation, microscopy, and molecular techniques, gaining valuable experience in marine biodiversity research and taxonomic documentation.

Marine heatwaves are becoming increasingly common in coastal ecosystems, but we still know surprisingly little about how extreme warming changes the interactions between organisms and their microbiomes.

In Tampa Bay, seagrass declines have continued even as water quality has improved, suggesting that additional biological mechanisms may be contributing to ecosystem change.

Our study investigates whether marine heatwaves restructure the microbiomes associated with macroalgae, potentially increasing their ability to proliferate and foul seagrass habitats. Rather than viewing macroalgae simply as passive responders to environmental stress, we are testing the idea that they may act as microbiome-mediated drivers of ecosystem change under warming conditions.

What We Are Investigating

🌡️ Marine Heatwaves
How does elevated temperature influence macroalgal communities and their associated microorganisms?

🦠 Macroalgal Microbiomes
Using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, we will identify microbial communities associated with dominant macroalgal species and determine whether particular microbiomes are linked to high-fouling conditions.

🌿 Seagrass Fouling
Field surveys across thermal gradients will measure macroalgal abundance and fouling intensity within Tampa Bay seagrass habitats.

🧪 Experimental Heat Stress
Controlled warming experiments will test whether elevated temperatures produce predictable changes in macroalgal microbiomes and whether those changes influence macroalgal ecological performance.