Operation and integration of a commercially available nitrate sensor in Gulf of Mexico estuarine monitoring programs
Abstract Many coastal and estuarine environments suffering from eutrophication, hypoxia, and harmful algal blooms need continuous nutrient monitoring to better understand the drivers of these events and evaluate progress towards water quality improvement targets. Many dissolved-nutrient sensors are now commercially available with several being evaluated in terms of ...
Novel observations of freshwater dinoflagellates (Dinophyta) in a flow regulated subtropical canal in Florida
Abstract Phytoplankton composition and biomass were investigated in the C-43 Canal in southwest Florida during a period of shifting discharges from water control structures. The canal receives regulated discharges from eutrophic Lake Okeechobee via the S77 structure. During periods of ...
Water quality trends and eutrophication indicators in a large subtropical estuary: a case study of the greater Charlotte Harbor system in southwest Florida
Abstract Tracking symptoms of eutrophication over time with multiple lines of evidence provides critical information to support environmental management and restoration efforts. For this case study of the Greater Charlotte Harbor estuary system in southwest Florida (USA), we assembled and ...
Day-ahead statistical forecasting of algal bloom risk to support reservoir release decisions in a highly engineered watershed
Abstract Predicting algal blooms in waterways receiving inflows from multiple sources is challenging since blooms and their drivers can originate from diverse sources. Models that mechanistically simulate the formation and transport of algal blooms are often computationally intensive, creating barriers ...
2020: Bay scallop growth rates as measured by citizen-scientist partners during restoration efforts in Florida
Local bay scallop Argopecten irradians populations are threatened or depleted in southwest Florida estuaries (Pinellas through Lee Counties) and in the Panhandle (Bay through Escambia Counties), and community-driven restoration efforts have been ongoing for many years. To obtain juvenile scallops ...
2021: An agent-based model accurately predicts larval dispersal and identifies restoration and monitoring priorities for eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) in a Southwest Florida estuary
An agent-based modeling (ABM) framework was developed to support oyster reef restoration efforts in the Caloosahatchee River Estuary located within the encompassing Charlotte Harbor estuarine system, Southwest Florida. The modeling approach is novel for this shallow estuary which experiences heavily ...
2021: Geospatial distribution of hypoxia associated with a Karenia brevis bloom
In 2018, the presence of bottom water hypoxia along the SW Florida coast was investigated during a bloom of the toxic dinoflagellate Karenia brevis. The bloom was first detected in November 2017. Monitoring of oxygen levels and bloom densities was ...
Nitrogen-enriched discharges from a highly managed watershed intensify red tide (Karenia brevis) blooms in southwest Florida
Karenia brevis blooms on Florida's Gulf Coast severely affect regional ecosystems, coastal economies, and public health, and formulating effective management and policy strategies to address these blooms requires an advanced understanding of the processes driving them. Recent research suggests that ...
Algal blooms in a river-dominated estuary and nearshore region of Florida, USA: The influence of regulated discharges from water control structures on hydrology and nutrient conditions
Flow-regulated discharges of water from control structures into estuaries result in hydrologic and water chemistry conditions that impact spatial and temporal variability in the structure and biomass of phytoplankton communities, including the potential for harmful algal blooms (HABs). The relationships ...
Settlement of the bay scallop (Argopecten irradians) along the gulf coast of Florida
Before collapsing, bay scallops (Argopecten irradians) supported commercial fisheries in Florida but, following decades of restoration efforts and management actions, still support a recreational fishery. Settlement was monitored along the west coast of Florida from 1992 through 2018, using collector ...
