The objectives are to identify chemical and microbial contaminants associated with African dust air masses in source and downwind sites and determine the effects of dust particles and the chemical contaminants on downwind coral reefs and human health.
This project seeks to investigate the application of phage therapy to coral diseases, making it research that is relevant to conservation. If we are able to use naturally-occurring marine bacteriophages to slow or stop bacterial infections on corals, this would be a significant step towards preserving our reefs.
This project aims to answer the question: Are juvenile sawfish selecting for a specific type of mangrove shoreline, and if so, what type of mangrove shoreline is it?
Through the study of benthic foraminifera in Florida's Biscayne Bay, this project seeks to identify the types, concentrations, distributions, and potential sources of trace-metal contaminants and their effects on pollution-tolerant and intolerant foraminiferal assemblages in the bay. Findings will be used to assist in planning Everglades restoration and to aid in understanding recent change in local coral reef health.
One of the goals of the USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Program is a national assessment of coastal change hazards. One such hazard is extreme storms and hurricanes as they provide a powerful force that generates dangerous waves and currents capable of moving large amounts of sand, destroying buildings and infrastructure, and reshaping our nation's coastline. Our research focuses on understanding the magnitude and variability of the impacts of hurricanes and extreme storms on the sandy beaches of the United States. The overall objective is to improve the capability to predict coastal change that results from severe storms. Such a capability will facilitate locating buildings, infrastructure, and evacuation routes away from severe coastal change hazards.
A Coastal Classification Map describing local geomorphic features is the first step toward determining the hazard vulnerability of an area. The National Assessment of Coastal Change Project's Coastal Classification Maps present ground conditions such as beach width, dune elevations, overwash potential, and density of development. In order to complete a hazard vulnerability assessment, that information must be integrated with other information, such as prior storm impacts and beach stability. The Coastal Classification Maps provide much of the basic information for such an assessment and represent a critical component of a storm-impact forecasting capability.
The objective of the project is to translate Everglades National Park aerial photo archives into digital format.
This project has created new capabilities for the baseline inventorying and monitoring of natural and cultural resources within National Seashores. Methods for monitoring barrier island change, land cover distributions, benthic ecosystems, and man-made structures have been devised. These algorithms are being combined with standardized data reduction and documentation procedures to create software packages that generate GIS-ready digital information products relevant to Park needs. The LaserMap system has been developed for the processing of NASA ATM surveys and is in use to fulfill the needs of the NPS Vital Signs Program. Also, a separate software module within the Airborne Lidar Processing System (ALPS) supports the interactive browsing of GPS-referenced digital aerial photography data sets that are acquired concurrent with NASA ATM and EAARL lidar surveys. Information on these capabilities is provided through USGS Open File Reports, conference proceedings papers, and scientific journals. A stream of experimental GIS-ready spatial information products is being distributed to resource managers at several NPS coastal Parks
The objectives of this research are to determine the rate, direction of flow and contamination levels of saline groundwater in the Florida Keys and Florida Bay.
This study seeks to refine sampling methodology, collect baseline data for aquatic animals, and begin studies of food-web structure in South Florida wetlands.
The objectives of the project are to operate and maintain the Mangrove Hydrology sampling network, measure rates of mangrove forest growth and production in relation to hydrologic parameters, and measure rates of sediment surface elevation change and soil accretion or loss in coastal mangrove forests and brackish marshes of the Everglades.
The FLaSH Map project is a multiagency approach to benthic habitat mapping. Existing data is presented via user-friendly graphic, geographic, and visualization tools. Data from multibeam, sidescan sonar imagery, still and video images, streaming resistivity, and sediment grabs are available for viewing by the general public, scientists and managers.
Through geochemical monitoring efforts, this project will provide a measure of the progress and effects of restoration on environmental health and water quality, and complement biological monitoring of indicator species.
The objectives of the project is to measure the distribution of short-lived radionuclides to provide a temporal component to the processes at work within the Ecosystem.
This study is part of a series of cooperative investigations conducted from 1993 to present by the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) and the U.S. Geological Survey Florida Integrated Science Center (FISC). The objective of the studies is to determine locally the influence of the geologic framework on exchange between groundwater and surface water.
The objectives of this study is the determine the origin of the "topographic feature" known as the Buttonwood Ridge and define its role in ecologic history of the area. It is a feature which is an enigma, in that it is constructed of fine carbonate mud with no perceptual store derived features. This program will examine the details of the feature and determine how the geologic structure relates to the development of features on both the upland and bays sides. As this is a region of once high biologic productivity which fed the resource of Florida Bay, it is imperative that this information be ascertained.
This study will be the first to advance the knowledge of groundwater movement in offshore settings where onshore hydraulic gradients may influence offshore flow and furthermore, where tidal pumping complicates groundwater flow.
The intent of this project is to provide continuous flux estimates across the sediment-water interface (i.e., groundwater-surface water exchange) at select sites within ENP in support of numerical models on GW-SW exchange.
The objective of this project it to measure the volume of groundwater seepage into the overlying marine environment of Florida Bay.
This project is investigating the loss of coastal wetlands and adjacent uplands in order to determine long-term change in wetlands and to provide a model for determining areas that are most vulnerable to loss because of combinations of human and natural impacts.
This project addresses the collection and reporting of bathymetric survey data for Lake Okeechobee
The objective of this research is to produce maps and digital grids of historical and modern bathymetry for Florida Bay.
This project addresses the collection and interpretation of data necessary to develop the present day bathymetry of the lower portions of South Florida
This project aims to derive relationships between hydrologic conditions and mangrove ecosystem function
The ultimate objectives of the proposed research are to predict and assess how altered hydrologic regimes planned by restoration managers are likely to impact submerged aquatic vegetation, fish, decapod crustaceans, and West Indian manatees in a range of estuarine habitats in SW Florida.
The Integrated Remote Sensing and Modeling Group (IRSMG) is primarily supported by the USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Program's Decision Support for Coastal Parks, Sanctuaries, and Preserves Project. The primary objectives of the project are to: 1) Advance remote-sensing technology for coastal science and management by developing new methods and capabilities for airborne lidar-topography and multi-spectral data. 2) Utilize recently developed remote-sensing technology within the USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Program (CMGP) in response to coastal impacts in order to assess, document, and evaluate the condition of affected resources. 3) Generate and publish map products for coastal topographic data acquired in support of the projects within the CMG program. 4) Work collaboratively with the National Park Service and other federal and state agencies to generate, analyze, and publish map products using various remote sensors including, but not limited to the Experimental Airborne Advanced Research Lidar (EAARL).
This ecological synthesis project will integrate the numerous autecological floral and faunal studies which have been conducted over the years within the SICS area. Particular attention will be paid to defining and constructing longterm datasets which will have the potential to measure changes and be integrated with the hydrodynamic models currently being developed. These datasets, when fully developed, will be used to assess change within the study area as related to past management practices and to guide the development of future environmental management scenarios as related to the Central and South Florida Project Review.
Mucus samples were collected from healthy corals in the Florida Keys and used to isolate coral-associated bacteria. These bacteria were tested to determine if native bacteria living in coral mucus are capable of providing an anti-bacterial defense against 'outsider' microbes to help protect the coral.
The National Assessment of Coastal Change Hazards is a multi-year undertaking to identify and quantify the vulnerability of U.S. shorelines to coastal change hazards such as the effects of severe storms, sea-level rise, and shoreline erosion and retreat. It will continue to improve our understanding of processes that control these hazards, and will allow researchers to determine the probability of coastal change locally, regionally, and nationally. The National Assessment will deliver these data and assessment findings about coastal vulnerability to coastal managers, other researchers, and the general public.
Beach erosion is a chronic problem along most open-ocean shores of the United States. As coastal populations continue to grow, and community infrastructures are threatened by erosion, there is increased demand for accurate information regarding past and present shoreline changes. There is also need for a comprehensive analysis of shoreline movement that is regionally consistent. To meet these national needs, the Coastal and Marine Geology Program of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is conducting an analysis of historical shoreline changes along open-ocean sandy shores of the conterminous United States and parts of Alaska and Hawaii. A primary goal of this work is to develop standardized methods for mapping and analyzing shoreline movement so that internally consistent updates can periodically be made to record shoreline erosion and accretion.
The goal of the Northern Gulf of Mexico (NGOM) Ecosystem Change and Hazard Susceptibility project is to understand the evolution of coastal ecosystems on the northern gulf coast, the impact of human activities on these ecosystems, and the vulnerability of ecosystems and human communities to more frequent and more intense hurricanes in the future.
This project will address concerns about the impact of injected waters on the native microbial ecology and biogeochemistry, and will conduct a literature review to compile, synthesize and assess the published literature.
Pulley Ridge is a 100+ km-long series of N-S trending, drowned, barrier islands on the southwest Florida Shelf approximately 250 km west of Cape Sable, Florida. The ridge has been mapped using multibeam bathymetry, submarines and remotely operated vehicles, and a variety of geophysical tools. The ridge is a subtle feature about 5 km across with less than 10 m of relief. The shallowest parts of the ridge are about 60 m deep. Surprisingly at this depth, the southern portion of the ridge hosts an unusual variety of zooxanthellate scleractinian corals, green, red and brown macro algae, and typically shallow-water tropical fishes.
This study is using remote sensing to examine resuspension events, the distribution of turbid water and changes in the patterns of water clarity in the Bay.
The goal of this USGS project is to document decade- to century- scale processes associated with sediment production and transport in Florida Bay. The results will be compared to short-term production rates measured during FY 1999.
SOFIA provides scientific information access in support of research, decision-making, and resource management for the South Florida ecosystem restoration effort.
This site will thus review the progress made in SGD science (with particular emphasis on new applications of geochemical tracers and novel geophysical tools), provide links to many SGD projects and study sites, and present an inclusive list of relevant publications. The eventual goal of our SGD science is to develop some forecasting or predictive capability based on being able to de-couple climatic and seasonal signatures from SGD rates.
A holistic, multi-disciplinary approach is needed to address the research needs in the basin and estuary and to provide supportive data for meeting management objectives of the entire ecosystem. The USGS is well situated to focus on the larger concerns of the basin and estuary by addressing specific research questions linking water supply and quality to ecosystem function and health across county and state boundaries. We are interested in developing a strategic plan in cooperation with Federal, State, and local agencies to identify and implement studies to address the most compelling research issues and management questions, and to conduct fundamental environmental monitoring studies.
This project will synthesize portions of six projects that deal in diverse but complimentary aspects of sediments in Florida Bay.
The USGS Tampa Bay Study responds to the need to use an integrated science approach for studying the interrelations between geological, biological, chemical, and hydrological components of estuarine systems, and the impact of natural and anthropogenic change to all components of estuarine systems. The USGS Geological (GD), Biological Resources (BRD), Water Resources (WRD), and National Mapping Disciplines (NMD) are working together with other federal, state, and local partners to develop and implement an integrated, multidisciplinary science strategy for estuarine research. Results from this research will enable scientists and resource managers to better assess the fate of our estuaries in the future. The integrated science strategy developed through this project will be used as a model for USGS integrated science in other Gulf of Mexico Estuaries.
This project investigates the interacting effects of freshwater inflows and tidal forces in and along the mangrove ecotone of south Florida.
The objective is to develop 223,224,228,226Ra isotope systematics to address the issue of groundwater flow into Florida Bay.
The objective of the project is to address several key hypothesis related to global change impacts on the flora and fauna of the mangrove forested ecosystems which occur at the downstream end of the greater Everglades.
The objectives of the project are to provide answers to how the hydrologic restoration of the Everglades will affect land margin ecosystems and to generate data to be used in models (hydrological and ecological) for gauging restoration success.
The West-Central Florida Coastal Studies Project was undertaken to investigate the geologic history of the region as well as processes that control the distribution of sediment and the formation of the barrier islands.
U. S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
African Dust, Ecosystems, and Human Health
Applying Phage Therapy to Coral Diseases
Characterizing Past and Present Mangrove Shorelines to Aid Conservation of the Smalltooth Sawfish, Pristis pectinata, Along the Southwest Coast of Florida
Chemical Pollutants and Toxic Effects on Benthic Organisms, Biscayne Bay, Florida
Coastal Change Hazards: Hurricanes and Extreme Storms
Coastal Classification Mapping Project
Creation of a Digital Archive of Historical Aerial Photographs for Everglades National Park and the Greater Everglades Ecosystem
Decision Support for Coastal Parks, Sanctuaries, and Preserves
Determination of Groundwater-Flow Direction and Rate Beneath Florida Bay, the Florida Keys and Reef Tract
Development of Integrated Sampling of Fishes in Forested Wetlands in South Florida with Emphasis on Food Web Structure
Dynamics of land margin ecosystems: Historical Change, Hydrology, Vegetation, Sediment, and Climate Change
Florida Shelf Habitat (FLaSH) Map Project
Geochemical Monitoring of Restoration Progress
Geochronology in the South Florida Ecosystem and Associated Ecosystem Programs
Geologic Characterization of Selected Lakes and Rivers, Northeast Florida
Geology and Ecological History of the "Buttonwood Ridge" Region
Ground Water Characterization in Marine Areas of Biscayne National Park
Ground Water-Surface Water Seepage at Select TIME Sites
Groundwater Seepage in the Florida Keys
Gulf of Mexico and Southeast Tidal Wetlands
High Resolution Bathymetric Mapping
High-Resolution Bathymetry of Florida Bay
Hydrodynamic and Bathymetric Characteristics of South Florida Estuarine and Coastal Systems
Hydrologic Variation and Ecological Processes in the Mangrove Forests of South Florida: Response to Restoration
Impacts of Hydrological Restoration on Three Estuarine Communities of the SW Florida Coast
Integrated Remote Sensing and Modeling Group
Interrelation of Everglades Hydrology and Florida Bay Dynamics to Ecosystem Processes and Restoration in South Florida
Microbial Wars: Mucus-Associated Bacteria Fend off Coral Pathogens
National Assessment of Coastal Change Hazards
National Assessment of Shoreline Change
Northern Gulf of Mexio (NGOM) Ecosystem Change and Hazards Susceptibility Project
Preliminary Characterization of the Microbial Ecology of the Upper Florida Aquifer and Literature Review of the Microbe-Induced Changes in Metal Mobility and Toxicity during Aquifer Storage and Recovery Testing
Pulley Ridge
Remote Sensing of Water Turbidity and Sedimentation in Florida Bay and Biscayne Bay
Sedimentation, Sea-Level Rise, and Circulation in Florida Bay
South Florida Information Access (SOFIA)
Submarine Groundwater Discharge
Suwannee River Basin & Estuary
Synthesis of Sediment Production, Transport, and Accumulation in Florida Bay
Tampa Bay Study
Tides and Inflows in the Mangrove Ecotone (TIME) Model Development
Tracing the Mixing of Groundwater into Coastal Waters Utilizing a New Radiometric Technique: Radium Isotope Systematics to Look at the Geologic Control of Aquifers
Understanding and Predicting Global Climate Change Impacts on the Mangrove Forested Wetlands
Vegetation Dynamics in Land-Margin Ecosystems: The Mangroves of South Florida
West-Central Florida Coastal Studies Project