annual school of ocean science and technology report 2017 · unmanned maritime systems...
TRANSCRIPT
SCHOOL OF OCEAN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGYANNUAL REPORT 2017
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Director’s Message .......................................1
School of Ocean Science and Technology ..................................................2
Locations .........................................................3
Notable 2017 Accomplishments ...................................... 4—5
Division of Coastal Sciences ............. 6—7
Division of Marine Science ................ 8—9
Thad Cochran Marine Aquaculture Center ............................... 10—11
Marine Education Center ............... 12—13
Center for Fisheries Research and Development ..................................14—15
Hydrographic Science Research Center ......................................16—17
Center for Gulf Studies....................18—19
Research Vessels ...............................20—21
Papers Published 2017 ....................22—24
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What a year 2017 has been for the USM School
of Ocean Science and Technology! While this was
the school’s first full year of existence under the
new name and new organizational structure, the
great people and programs that make the school
are very familiar. So, we are happy to report we
have not missed a beat, and we continue to push
the School of Ocean Science and Technology as a
global leader in marine science. In this report from
2017, you will get a glimpse at what our researchers have done to better
understand our world’s oceans and how they impact our everyday lives.
This was a year of incredible growth in our capacity. We hosted
ribbon cuttings for state-of-the-art facilities for our Marine Education
Center and Toxicology Laboratory at Gulf Coast Research Laboratory.
We saw Jim Franks receive lifetime achievement awards and give the
keynote speech for USM’s Commencement ceremonyies. Although we
are mainly based across the three coastal counties of south Mississippi,
our educational footprint was felt nationally this year as we made history
with the implementation of the United States’ first ever Unmanned
Maritime Systems Certification course.
The year brought us new colleagues, new students and many new
opportunities. While flipping through these pages, remember this is
but a small portion of what we have achieved in 2017. I hope you feel the
same sense of excitement as I do. Visit our programs and see firsthand
what we are creating in a new, “blue” economy in south Mississippi.
2017 was indeed a paramount year for the School of Ocean Science
and Technology, but as always, we have our eyes on the future. I hope
you review these pages with immense pride but feel even more pride
knowing our greatest achievements have yet to be discovered.
Message from the Director
Monty Graham Director
School of Ocean Science and Technology
2017 Leadership Team
KellyLucas
DirectorThad Cochran
Marine Aquaculture
Center
LizHamm
ProgramCoordinator
Ken BarborDirector
HydrographicResearchCenter
Monty GrahamDirector
Joe GriffittAssociate Director
Jill HendonDirector
Center for Fisheries Research and Development
ReadHendon AssociateDirector
Gulf Coast Research Laboratory
ScottMilroy
Associate Professor
PamMoellerDirector
External Relations
AmandaSeymourDirector
FinanceAdministration
ChrisSnyderDirector
Marine EducationCenter
JerryWiggertAssociate Director
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The School of Ocean Science and Technology (SOST) harnesses elements from key areas of The University of Southern Mississippi, including the Division of Marine Science (DMS) at the John C. Stennis Space Center in Hancock County, the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory (GCRL) in Ocean Springs, Miss., and the University’s fleet of five research vessels, to create a regionally, nationally and internationally recognized leader in marine science.
The purpose of SOST is to aggregate all of Southern Miss’ marine-related research and education programs under a single administrative unit and to coordinate, but not consolidate, operating budgets and facilities. The SOST focuses on academic
and research enterprises of ocean science already existing at Southern Miss, the state’s flagship university for marine science as previously directed by the Institutions of Higher Learning. Additionally, the SOST will further the mission of the College of Science and Technology and the University to engage in economic development along the coast specific to the maritime economy and provide an administrative structure where maritime technology programs offered through Southern Miss can be housed.
In 2018, the SOST will be renamed the School of Ocean Science and Engineering.
School of Ocean Science and Technology
Fin
ancia
l Distr
ibution - $12,375,923
Academic Support
2%
Public Service
2%
Instruction30%
Plant Operation & Maintenance
33% Institutional Support
14%Research
19%
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The John C. Stennis Space Center in Hancock County, Mississippi, houses the University’s Division of Marine Science, Hydrographic Science Research Center, Center for Gulf Studies and Center of Higher Learning. Division faculty conduct research that spans the
global oceans while offering graduate programs in marine science and hydrographic science, and undergraduate programs in marine science and ocean engineering. The division also offers the first Unmanned Maritime Systems Certification in the United States.
The Port of Gulfport is a 250-acre deepwater port and an inland port facility in Gulfport, Mississippi, and is home to the University’s largest research vessel, the R/V Point Sur. The Port of Gulfport will also be home to the new $12 million Marine Research Center, which will be
used to plan exploration missions completed on the R/V Point Sur .
Point Cadet in Biloxi, Mississippi, serves as a teaching and research vessel staging site for the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory and is the homeport of the R/V Tommy Munro.
Locations
Research and academics at GCRL’s 275-acre sites focus on coastal ecology, aquatic health, fisheries and fisheries oceanography, marine aquaculture, and outreach and education
through the Division of Coastal Sciences, the Center for Fisheries Research and Development, the Marine Education Center, and the Thad Cochran Marine Aquaculture Research Center.
• Halstead – This 50-acre site is the original GCRL location on Davis Bayou in Ocean Springs, Mississippi Numerous academic, research and administrative units are located at this site, including dormitory, dining and classroom facilities supporting the long-running Summer Field Program. The harbor at the Halstead harbor is home to the R/V Jim Franks, R/V Hermes and Miss Peetsy B, and its boat launch supports small boat research and academic operations.
• Cedar Point – Acquired in the 1990s to support GCRL’s emerging marine aquaculture program, Cedar Point encompasses 225 acres adjacent to the National Park Service’s Gulf Islands National Seashore in eastern Ocean Springs. Within Cedar Point is the new Marine Education Center and Toxicology facility. Situated on 100 acres, the Marine Education Center serves as the education and outreach arm of the GCRL and provides an immersion experience for participants in a unique, coastal setting. Research in the $5 million Toxicology lab focuses on the effects of anthropogenic substances on aquatic or marine species. The researchers focus on three key areas: nanotoxicology, toxicogenomics, and the effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
Gulf Coast Research Laboratory
John C. Stennis Space Center
Port of Gulfport
Point Cadet
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Marine Education Center Receives $10,000 Donation for Outdoor KitchenIn August, SOST received a $10,000 donation from Blossman Gas toward outdoor kitchen equipment for the new Marine Education Center (MEC). During a tour of the construction site at the lab-oratory’s Cedar Point location in Ocean Springs, MEC staff and Blossman agreed the $10,000 donation would be best spent on a state-of-the-art outdoor kitchen area for the new education facility. The donation allowed for the purchase of Saber EZ outdoor pro-pane kitchen equipment, an outdoor propane Grand Fire Pit from Golden Blount, and the installation of an in-ground propane gas tank for the outdoor kitchen area. “Blossman Gas has greatly en-joyed working with USM’s Gulf Coast Research Laboratory and was pleased to be able to make the donation of an outdoor fireplace and gas grill to their new Marine Education Center,” said Blossman Gas Spokesman Alex Gresham. “We are honored to support facilities like this one, which contribute to our local community and will attract many visitors to the Mississippi Gulf Coast for generations to come.” With community involvement in mind, MEC staff want-ed to reach out to local businesses to allow them the opportunity to put their personal stamp on the new facility. “Our partnership with the Blossman Gas family is a reflection of our commitment to joining together with all segments of our community to create an educational facility that provides a venue for people to learn the im-portance and value of both our coastal habitats and waterways and the plants and animals that call them home,” MEC Director Chris Snyder said. “We are thankful to Blossman’s for partnering with us to create an attractive space to meet, learn and recreate.”
Gov. Phil Bryant Names Dr. Monty Graham to Ocean Task ForceSOST Director Monty Graham was announced as chairman of the Ocean Task Force by Gov. Phil Bryant on June 1. “I am incredibly honored to chair the Ocean Task Force for Governor Bryant,” Gra-ham said. “This is a visionary step toward enhancing our nation’s advantage in the design, development, testing and application of unmanned maritime systems.” Bryant said south Mississippi is set to grow as a major center for unmanned maritime systems as the re-sult of an increased emphasis on oceanography and survey vessels. “The Ocean Task Force will make sure we protect this land of ours and allow our Navy to be the most dominant military unit in the world,” Bryant said. The announcement was made at the Combat Readiness Training Center in Gulfport just before the graduation ceremony for Southern Miss’ Unmanned Maritime Systems (UMS) certification class – the first of its kind in the United States.
Franks Awarded Honorary Doctorate at Commencement CeremonyJames S. “Jim” Franks was the keynote speaker for the University’s Commencement ceremonies May 12 at Reed Green Coliseum in Hattiesburg and May 13 at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum in
Biloxi. Franks, a senior research scientist at USM’s Gulf Coast Research Laboratory (GCRL), is an internationally recognized marine life expert with more than 40 years’ experience working in the Gulf of Mexico. Franks joined the graduates in becoming alumni of USM, as he was awarded a Doctor of Science, honoris causa. As USM President Rodney D. Bennett conferred the degree, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Steven Moser and Vice President for Research Gordon Cannon hooded Franks at the third of the three Commencement ceremonies. “It is an incredible honor to receive this honorary doctorate from this great university,” Franks said. “For me, it’s an overwhelming experience and a major milestone...I will cherish this honor and this day for the rest of my life.”
USM Makes History with First UMS ClassesThe University of Southern Mississippi made history on June 1 with 15 students completing a first-of-its-kind certification in Unmanned Maritime Systems. “This is akin to what NASA first did with spaceflight,” Rear Admiral Timothy Gallaudet said. “This class should be mighty proud because the national impact of this certification and the skills taught throughout the course will be felt for decades.” The UMS program spanned over an intensive five weeks with students studying nautical science, 3-D positioning, ocean policy and autonomous systems. “This program was designed to provide a rigorous, hands-on academic program to introduce the students to unmanned maritime systems and the decision processes needed to operate them,” said Monty Graham.
Southern Miss Celebrates Opening of $5 Million Toxicology Laboratory SOST opened their new state-of-the-art toxicology building in August with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The nearly $5 million research building is situated on USM’s Cedar Point site in Ocean Springs. “There aren’t, in all honesty, six other universities in the country that have the capability that this one has,” said Joe Griffitt, chair and associate professor of the Division of Coastal Sciences. “And most importantly, the capabilities that this building has are ones that are designed from the ground up to answer questions of relevance to the Gulf Coast,” said Griffitt. Research in the lab focuses on the effects of anthropogenic substances (introduced by human activity) on aquatic or marine species. The researchers focus on three key areas: nanotoxicology, toxicogenomics, and the effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.“If you think back on the oil spill and the amount of oil and dispersants that were used, we had to learn basically on the fly about the role of those chemicals in the environment and what role they may have played in mortality and illnesses of organisms so this building will provide scientists the ability to control that,” said Monty Graham, director of USM’s School of Ocean science and Technology. “People are already coming to us and asking for us to be able to provide them space, access and collaborations. It has taken an outstanding Toxicology program and really elevated it on the map.”
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Leila Hamdan Receives Award for Oil—Spill Study SOST Associate Professor Dr. Leila J. Hamdan received the National Oceanographic Partnership Program’s (NOPP) 2017 Excellence in Partnering Award on behalf of the Gulf of Mexico – Shipwreck Corrosion, Hydrocarbon Exposure, Microbiology and Archaeology (GOM-SCHEMA) project team, on which she served as the lead investigator. The study, which included 16 academic, federal and private partner organizations, and funding through three agencies (BOEM, BSEE, ONR) investigated the impacts of the Deepwater Horizon spill on historic shipwrecks in the deep Gulf of Mexico. The GOM-SCHEMA partners joined expertise spanning natural science,
social science and technology to create a foundation for long-term monitoring of unique and non-renewable deep-sea habitats. The team successfully embraced team work, interdisciplinary research, and engagement of diverse communities in the advancement of ocean science.
Biber, Dillon Win MDEQ Challenge Dr. Patrick Biber, associate professor of marine
botany, and Dr. Kevin Dillon, associate professor of biogeochemistry, were named
winners of the 2017 MDEQ Beach Outfalls Challenge this June. The Beach Outfalls Challenge began in January, when teams initially registered to participate. After a review of design submissions, a panel of judges named 12 teams as semifinalists. The public had an opportunity to vote
on the solutions, which factored into the identification of the six finalist teams.
The goal of the Beach Outfalls Challenge is to enhance Mississippi’s ability to restore and
maintain ecological integrity of priority bays and estuaries by providing measurable improvements to water
quality and reducing significant sources of degradation. Dr. Biber focuses on physiology, landscape stressors, and restoration of coastal salt marsh habitats. Dr. Dillon focuses on evaluation of the nitrogen dynamics in surface waters of the Mississippi Sound. Team MMMM strives for better gulf seafood through better water quality and provides a new direction through science and engineering.
Eric Powell Receives Prestigious Wallace Award Dr. Eric Powell was awarded the Wallace Award in 2017. This award, given aperiodic, is the most prestigious award given by the
Division of Coastal Sciences
The Division of Coastal Sciences (COA) consists of 17 faculty positions covering a wide range of disciplines within GCRL’s four core research areas. Twelve faculty positions are filled, and a hiring plan is in place to return the division to full force. Our faculty is nationally recognized in their respective fields, having authored hundreds of scientific publications and serving on regional, national and international councils and advisory panels. Forty-two resident graduate students are working toward graduate degrees under the direction of the COA faculty.
21 Staff
52 Students
28 Grants
45 Publications
106 PresentationsDR. ROBERT J. GRIFFITT, Chair, Division of Coastal Sciences
2017 Highlights
COA
Fund
ing by Source - $8,428,031
Federal Funds$2,829,331State Funds
$280,897
Other Funds $3,494,028 E&G (FY18)
$1,823,775
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21 Staff
52 Students
28 Grants
45 Publications
106 Presentations
SFPNational Shellfisheries Association. Powell received the award for his activities in shellfisheries, aquaculture and conservation that have promoted understanding, knowledge and cooperation among industry members, the academic community and government.
USM Holds Ribbon-Cutting for New Toxicology Building USM held a ribbon-cutting ceremony in August to celebrate the opening of their new Toxicology Building. The state-of-the-art, 14,000 square foot building was designed from the ground up to answer ecotoxicology questions of relevance to the northern Gulf Coast. Facilities include three molecular and cellular laboratories, and integrated culture and exposure facilities. Twin bioassay chambers allow for fully flow-through chronic exposures while simultaneously and independently controlling temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen and contaminant levels. This $5 million facility affords USM a research capability that is unprecedented in the region and has attracted interest from researchers across the country.
Zack and Kelly Darnell Hold Officer Positions in the Gulf Estuarine Research Society Dr. Zack Darnell was re-elected for a second term as secretary-treasurer of GERS. Dr. Kelly Darnell was re-elected to a second term as member-at-large.
Darcie Graham Receives USM Staff Council Award Darcie Graham, graduate program and grants coordinator for Coastal Sciences, was awarded the 2017 USM Staff Council Service Award for the Gulf Coast.
COA Graduate Students Receive Awards and Scholarships Four students (Corbin Bennetts, Melissa Brock, Taylor Daley, and Angie Hoover) received Graduate Competitive Travel Awards from the Graduate School, which helped fund travel to domestic and international conferences. Olivia Lestrade won a $1,500 scholarship sponsored by the Mississippi Change of the Air and Waste Management Association.
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Our students come from across the nation and around the globe to• Conduct research in the north-central Gulf of Mexico,
one of the most biologically productive environments in the world;
• Study coastal and marine habitats at a lab strategically located on the Gulf of Mexico, near salt marshes, estuaries, barrier islands and the Pascagoula River;
• Use the most advanced technologies and instruments available; and
• Conduct research under nationally and internationally recognized scientists.
Summer Field Program
70 t h A N N I V E R SA RY
credit hours generated
courses offered 141 students from 28 states and
45 different institutions 882
UndergraduateSummer Field ProgramGCRL’s Summer Field Program offers a unique, hands-on field experience. Established in 1947, our classes focus on studies of plants and animals in their natural habitats and physical processes in marine and coastal environments. Most classes are conducted in a focused laboratory and field setting. Courses utilize the GCRL fleet of research vessels to explore the Mississippi Sound and barrier islands. In addition to local boat and field trips, some classes take overnight trips to other areas of the Gulf of Mexico.
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Anand Hiroji Hired as Assistant Professor in Hydrographic Sciences Dr. Hiroji received his Ph.D. in geodesy and geomatics engineering from the University of New Brunswick in 2016. Dr. Hiroji is currently applying his expertise in hydrographic mapping techniques to characterize oyster habitat in the Mississippi Sound.
Gero Nootz Hired as Assistant Visiting Professor for Ocean Engineering Dr. Nootz received his Ph.D. in physics from the Center for Research and Education in Optics and Lasers (CREOL) at the University of Central Florida in 2010. CREOL is one of the
world’s premier institutions for research and education in optical and photonic science and engineering. While at CREOL, Dr. Nootz developed methods for characterizing turbulence in marine environments through the application of laser systems which he continued as an NRC Fellow at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif., and at the Naval Research Laboratory at Stennis Space Center.
USM’s New Ocean Engineering Program Delivered Its First Course Offerings in Fall 2017 With strong emphasis on the “Blue Economy,” the University’s School of Ocean Science and Technology has now expanded its curriculum to offer a Bachelor of Science in ocean engineering. This represents the only ocean engineering degree in the state of Mississippi and one of only 10 programs in the nation.
Jessica Pilarczyk Served as Guest Editor for a Marine Geology Special Issue on Extreme Waves
The contributions featured in this volume included case studies from recent, historic and prehistoric
tsunami and storm surge events across the globe in both coastal and offshore records.
These reports detailed the latest advances in identifying, characterizing, dating and modeling evidence for extreme wave events.
Vernon Asper Developed and Delivered the First Offering of
the Unmanned Maritime Systems (UMS) Certificate Program in
Spring 2017 The intent of the UMS program is to provide
students with a working knowledge on the
DMS
Fund
ing by Source - $10,166,960
Division of Marine Science
The Division of Marine Science (DMS), located at Stennis Space Center in Hancock County, is situated among the largest community of oceanographers and hydrogra-phers in the world. Researchers and students regularly interact with scientists from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command, the Naval Oceanographic Office, the Naval Research Laboratory, the National Data Buoy Center, and the U.S. Geological Survey.
DR. JERRY WIGGERT, Chair, Division of Marine Science
25 Staff
20 Faculty
34 Students
29 Grants
27 Publications
2017 Highlights
International$114,736
Federal Funds$6,854,192
Corporate$3,198,032
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operation of a variety of autonomous marine survey vehicles and help them understand the environment in which these vehicles operate and how that environment factors into decisions and mission planning. As autonomous vehicles become increasingly involved in routine, innovative and emergency data collection in the marine environment, there is an ever-expanding need for operators that are trained to effectively utilize this equipment.
Stephan O’Brien Recognized as GOMRI Student Scholar in Summer 2017 The GoMRI Scholars Program recognizes outstanding graduate students and the vital research they contribute to improve understanding about the damage, response and recovery following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The Scholars Program honors and builds community for this next generation of ocean science professionals.
Stephen Howden Served as Faculty Advisor to USM Student Chapter of the Marine Technology Society, Awarded the MTS Student Chapter of the Year MTS is the leading international community of ocean engineers, technologists, policymakers and educators. MTS promote awareness, understanding, advancement and application of marine technology.
Alan Shiller Named Bennett Distinguished Professor in the Sciences, USM College of Science and Technology The T. W. Bennett Endowment was established at The University of Southern Mississippi by Mr. and Mrs. T. W. Bennett Sr. in honor of their son and his love for the sciences. Thomas Waring Bennett Jr. was declared missing in action on December 22, 1972, while serving in the United States Air Force. The endowment established the Bennett Distinguished Professorship, which
is awarded every two years to an exceptional professor in the sciences. Earnings from the endowment are used to support research activities of the Bennett Professor and to sponsor the biennial T. W. Bennett Symposium.
Alison McLendon (Undergraduate Honors Student): USM Eagle SPUR Award ($1,000 Funding to Support Her Honors Thesis)
Danielle Greenhow received Outstanding Advisor Award from College of Science and Technology and Was Promoted into USM’s Newly Created Teaching Professor track In addition to her outstanding contributions to the Marine Science undergraduate program and her service on USM’s Gulf Coast Faculty Council, Dr. Greenhow is a member of the GoMRI-funded LADC-GEMM (Littoral Acoustic Demonstration Center – Gulf Ecological Monitoring and Modeling) consortium.
Davin Wallace Led Sustainable Active Landscapes Team that Won the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) Beach Outfalls Challenge
Jerry Wiggert Served on Scientific Organizing Committee for Workshop on Strategic Imperatives and Implementation for Korea-US Indian Ocean Sciences (KUDOS), held in Seoul, South Korea The goal of KUDOS is to promote and facilitate joint Korean- U.S. research activities as part of the Second International Indian Ocean Expedition (IIOE-2). This joint U.S.-Korean oceanographic collaboration is an outcome of the efforts of the U.S.-IIOE2 Scientific Steering Committee, of which Dr. Wiggert is a founding member.
In 2017, Division of Marine Science researchers received 29 awards for externally funded research projects totaling over $10 million.
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Aquaculture Production Spotted Seatrout USM continues to partner with Mississippi Department of Marine Resources (MDMR) and conservation organizations for stock enhancement of spotted seatrout. TCMAC produced 102 million fertile seatrout eggs in 2017. Most of the eggs were stocked in MDMR ponds located at the Lyman Aquaculture Center for grow-out experiments. An additional 258,000, 25mm juveniles were stocked in MDMR ponds. MDMR released 65,000 juvenile spotted seatrout from pond grow-out experiments. TCMAC partnered with the Ocean Springs High School Aquaculture Program to tag and release 2,500 juveniles raised as part of the year two class project. OSHS also helped tag and release 650 spotted seatrout averaging
27cm in length into Davis Bayou. TCMAC collected 72 spotted seatrout broodstock in 2017 with half the broodstock collected as part of the annual Ernie Zimmerman Friends and Family Live Catch Tournament. The research focused on examining the effect of salinity on growth and survival of eggs, larvae and juveniles with the aim of assessing the viability of low salinity culture.
Atlantic Croaker TCMAC partnered with MDMR to develop aquaculture of the Atlantic croaker for bait. Culture is developed in recirculating systems and in ponds. In 2017, research focused on evaluating
sexual maturation and spawning of broodstock at different salinities and
evaluating the feasibility of culturing early stages at low salinity compatible with
Mississippi coastal waters. Approximately 496 broodstock were collected during 2017 and spawning
trials of broodfish acclimated to different salinities were conducted in November. Approximately 45,000 two-day old larvae were stocked for larval culture on December 2nd and will be transferred for grow-out in ponds at the MDMR Lyman fish hatchery in early spring.
Thad Cochran Marine Aquaculture Center
The Thad Cochran Marine Aquaculture Center (TCMAC) is located at the Cedar Point research site in Ocean Springs, Miss. Facilities include over 100,000 square feet of building space dedicated to aquaculture production and research. Included are 50,000 square feet of culture space for animals and algae and about 10,000 square feet of experimental space designed to accommodate isolated and replicated disease, nutrition, and genetics/reproductive physiology research. The facility contains isolated small-, medium- and large-scale systems with single-pass climate control.
KELLY LUCAS, TCMAC Director
25 Staff
6 Students
5 Grants
5 Publications
14 Presentations
TCM
AC Fu
nding by Source - $2,870,402
Federal Funds$1,370,402
Other Funds $1,500,000
Additionally, two grants totaling $1 million were approved but not yet funded.
TCMAC participated in multiple outreach events in 2017, including Pathways to Possibilities, shown here, with researchers introducing over 6,000 eighth graders to marine aquaculture.
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25 Staff
6 Students
5 Grants
5 Publications
14 Presentations
Copepods The culture of several species of high-value marine fish is constrained by the inability to provide adequate, nutritious prey to the larval stages. Copepods are the natural prey items for most larval fish. However, they are difficult to produce in a biosecure, consistent and economically viable manner. Research at TCMAC focuses on reducing the bottlenecks associated with copepod production. During 2017, the effects of temperature on hatch, size, development time, egg production and sex ratio of Acartia tonsa and Parvocalanus crassirostris eggs, immature stages and mature stages were examined. Additional experiments examined the ability to disinfect cultures contaminated with ciliates using sodium hypochlorite.
Oysters TCMAC, partnering with AquaGreen LLC, concluded the pilot test for re-circulating artificial seawater production of oyster larvae in December 2017. Oyster larvae produced during the pilot project were provided to MDMR for remote set and deployment for restoration.
Algae TCMAC, partnering with AquaGreen LLC, completed algae feedstock production to feed oyster larvae and broodstock for the pilot test. Algae feedstock consisted of Tisochrysis lutea, Pavlova lutheri, Chaetoceros calcitrans and Chaetoceros muelleri, primarily. These mass cultures were produced using batch cultivation techniques and semi-continuously using photobioreactor systems. Algae feedstocks were also sold to industry to support oyster larvae production efforts. Tisochrysis lutea continued to be produced at Cedar Point as a feedstock for copepod research and development.
Blue Crab The Blue Crab Aquaculture Program moved into the newly renovated invertebrate hatchery at Cedar Point in the first quarter of 2017. After completing the system set-up, they completed one culture run to test out the new system. Approximately 28,280 zoea and megalopae were harvested in August. The megalopae were transferred to intermediate growout with some transferred to
Ocean Springs High School for the aquaculture class. Research conducted for 2017 included survival and growth experiments in the hatchery and intermediate grow-out using different artificial seawater mixtures.
Tripletail In July 2017, TCMAC partnered with Perciformes Group to develop methods to culture and breed tripletail for commercial production in land-based recirculating aquaculture facilities. The multi-year research agreement will work toward the development of hatchery protocols for captive reproduction and genomic tools for domestication and breeding. The aquaculture system build-out is scheduled to be completed in first quarter of 2018 and over 85 tripletail broodstock collected in 2017 will be transferred to the system.
Southern Miss to Receive $1 Million Toward Seaweed ResearchThe Department of Energy’s (DOE), Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) announced grants in September for USM, TCMAC totaling $1 million toward researching the use of seaweed to produce energy.
“This ARPA-E project offers a unique opportunity to work with a great team of research scientists and engineers to advance aquaculture, aid biofuel production, create consumable products, and provide innovative systems designs,” said Dr. Kelly Lucas, director of the Thad Cochran Marine Aquaculture Research Center at USM. “We are happy to be selected to continue developing designs and working with others to advance macroalgae production in the United States.”
Dr. Kelly Lucas, director of The University of Southern Mississippi’s Thad Cochran Marine Aquaculture Center, spoke in February in Washington, D.C., on the importance of aquaculture in the United States.
“I believe the time is now for the United States to become more self-reliant in the production of seafood. Government, universities and industry working together can help create regulatory certainty, address research needs and advance sustainable aquaculture.”
U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) oversaw the hearing titled, “Growing the Future: Opportunities to Support Domestic Seafood Through Aquaculture.” The members examined the current state of aquaculture in the United States, future opportunities for offshore, coastal and inland communities, and the potential impact on the economy.
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USM Professor Testifies Before U.S. Senate on Future of Aquaculture
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In 2017, we achieved substantial completion on the construction of the replacement for the J. L. Scott Marine Education Center at the University’s Cedar Point teaching site. The new Marine Education Center enhances the platform for existing programs. As this will be home to the USM’s School of Ocean Science and Technology informal education and outreach programs, the new facility supports the 2017-20 MEC Strategic Plan. This plan focuses MEC effort on programs that supply the USM pipeline with future SOST undergraduates, graduate students and educational staff seeking STEM careers.
2017 Operational HighlightsDuring 2017, the MEC worked to incorporate a broader mission with the
formation of the School of Ocean Science and Technology. Below are a few of the highlights:
• The new MEC construction project reached a state of substantial comple-tion on December 29, 2017 and began hosting field trips and science camp programs in January 2018. The 100-acre site on Davis Bayou in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, features indoor and outdoor classrooms, laboratories, habitat trails and floating classrooms in a coastal setting. The facility is a nationally recognized example of how to build a resilient structure in a sensitive coastal environment with minimal impact to the surrounding ecosystems. From this complex, MEC will continue to deliver its existing programs and, keeping with its 2017-20 Strategic Plan.
Marine Education CenterThe Marine Education Center (MEC) is the education and outreach arm of The University of Southern Mississippi’s Gulf Coast Research Laboratory. Through its educational and outreach programs, the MEC provides an understanding of both the role the Gulf of Mexico plays in our daily lives and how a science-based understanding of the fundamental issues of ecosystem health, resiliency and restoration allows us to develop policies and frameworks necessary to sustain a healthy Gulf.
CHRIS SNYDER MEC Director
MEC
Fun
ding
by So
urce - $1,285,843
Summer Camps $103,949
Non- Government
$16,200Sponsors/Donations$20,021
Summer Field Program Fund$395,796
Federal Awards
$54,879
MEC General Fund
$264,452Coastal Science Camps
and Other Fees$327,938
State Awards$102,608
7 grants
awarded
13 staff
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• Overall, MEC program participation numbers increased 48% over 2016. The most significant increases were seen in three K-12 programs (Miss Peetsy B Bayou Tour, Marine Biologist in the Classroom, and The NOAA-funded Marine Debris Project) and in our public outreach events/festivals. The MEC developed a new K-12 educational offering, Coastal Explorer, which offers local schools an affordable and unique three-hour field experience. Teachers choose from eight exciting topics to create their own rich marine education experience. Summer Camps, including Shark Fest, a week-long summer day camp for youth in the seventh through 12th grades, hosted 542 students.
• Through grants totaling approximately $425,000 over three years, the MEC instructed 3,248 K-12 students through programs that spanned a full semester in the classroom, overnight experiences at GCRL, and day trips to Ship Island aboard the Ship Island Excursion Ferry. All
of these included significant teacher professional development to link classroom learning objectives to field experiences.
PROGRAM NUMBERSCoastal Science Camps .........................1,243
Miss Peetsy B Bayou Tours .................... 2,652
Marine Biologist in My Classroom ........ 549
NOSB Hurricane Bowl ................................128
Sea Camp ...................................................... 309
Shark Fest ......................................................137
Angler Camp ...................................................96
Catch More Fish with Science ................ 230
Public Events and Festivals ............ 58,086
66,678 PEOPLE REACHED
• Following successful oil spill outreach efforts, the MEC continues to build a relationship with the multi-ethnic commercial fishing community through new funding to conduct oyster reef research of great relevance to the fishing community.
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Harriet Perry. Lifetime Achievement Award. Mississippi Chapter of the American Fisheries Society Center for Fisheries Research and Development Senior Research Scientist Harriet Perry was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Mississippi Chapter of the American Fisheries Society in February 2017. Perry’s career spans 50 years at USM’s Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, where she filled the role of graduate student, biologist, faculty member and ultimately director of the center for fisheries research and development. Perry is well-known for her work with blue crabs. She is affectionately known as “The Crab Lady” and is the acknowledged expert on blue crabs in the Gulf of Mexico, having studied this highly valued species’ biology, population dynamics and aquaculture capacity throughout her career.
Dr. Jim Franks Serves as Spring Commencement Speaker Dr. Jim Franks, senior research scientist in the Center for Fisheries Research and Development and graduate faculty appointee in USM’s School of Ocean Science and Technology, delivered the keynote addresses at the three Commencement ceremonies for The University of Southern Mississippi in May 2017. Approximately 1,900 students were candidates for degrees, one of the largest graduating classes in recent years.
A marine biologist with 40 years of research experience in the Gulf of Mexico, Franks’ research and academic interests span studying the life history of Gulf of Mexico fishes to pioneering research on
offshore fish habitats. He has authored or co-authored more than 50 scientific papers with special interest given to large offshore fishes, such as cobia, marlin, tunas and sharks. Franks also co-authored the contingency guide to the protection of Mississippi’s coastal environments from spilled oil.
“The gracious invitation by USM President Rodney D. Bennett to be the keynote speaker for Commencement was an incredible
honor I will always cherish,” Franks said.
CFRD scientists served on the following panels in 2017:
Mississippi Stock Assessment Panel, Southeast Area Monitoring and Assessment Program Committees, NOAA’s Southeast Data Assessment and Review Panel, Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council’s Coastal Migratory Pelagics Panel, Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission
Advisory Committee, MDMR Blue Crab Taskforce, Gulf States Marine Fishery
Commission Crab Subcommittee, Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission Advisory
Committee, Pelagic Sargassum Panel, Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute, Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission: Cobia Task Force
Outreach HighlightsCFRD researchers developed and conducted a Scientific Boating Course for GCRL graduate students and employees. The course, held in April 2017, was created to facilitate safe scientific boating
For more than 40 years, the Center for Fisheries Research and Development (CFRD) has conducted independent scientific research to gain a better understanding of the biology and ecology of important fishery species ranging from brown shrimp, blue crabs and spotted seatrout in our coastal waters, to red snapper, tunas and sharks offshore. All of the research is done in support of our overall mission: to develop and conduct research that promotes productive and sustainable fisheries (at state, regional and federal levels) and fosters academic excellence and public education.
Center for Fisheries Research and Development
CFRD
Fund
ing by Source - $1,105,958
Federal Funds$603,947
State Funds$415,190
Other Funds $86,821
2017 Research Highlights
JILL HENDON, CFRD Interim Director
33 Staff
6 Students
14 Grants
18 Publications
43 Presentations
14
33 Staff
6 Students
14 Grants
18 Publications
43 Presentations
practices when deploying and retrieving a variety of scientific gears. The course is an extra measure to ensure that we are putting knowledgeable and helpful staff out on our waters.
• CFRD scientists hosted Choctawhatchee High School students for a Shark Education Day on February 3, 2017. Sixty-three stu-dents visited their laboratories and assisted in shark dissections and hands-on shark identifications.
• The annual public Marine Fisheries Workshop was held in November 2017. This event is an opportunity for the public to come and hear about current research and chat with our scien-tists about fishing in our waters. A five-speaker panel consisted of experts discussing topics such as red drum, bull sharks, am-ber jack, snapper, grouper and atlantic tarpon. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Sport Fish Restoration Program annually funds the event.
• CFRD’s Shark Research Program researchers traveled to the Audubon Aquarium in New Orle-ans for their annual Shark Week celebration. The
team designed hands-on activities educating visitors on sharks and their role in the ocean. This event reached more than 20,000 visitors during the week.
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The Hydrographic Science Research Center (HSRC) was established in 2001 to assess emerging trends in hydrography and implement the most promis-ing trends into operational use. The HSRC has pro-vided innovative solutions to precise positioning, water level measurements, sensor development, and novel uses for hydrographic data.
The HSRC has had Airborne Lidar Bathymetry (ALB) as one of its primary focus areas since its inception.
2017 Highlights• Under funding from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE),
graduate student Johnson Oguntuase evaluated the relative accuracies of various real-time and post-processing methodologies for precise posi-tioning airborne lidar bathymetry (ALB) measurements. The ultimate goal was to determine if baseline distance between Global Navigation Satellite System reference stations could be extended, thereby increasing the efficiency and reducing the cost ALB surveys.
• As the custodian of the Environmental Acoustic Recording System (EARS), the HSRC is supporting the GOMRI-IV consortium led by University of Louisiana, Lafayette. The EARS buoys are deployed to record sperm and beaked whale activity in the vicinity of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Dr. Danielle Greenhow is the data manager for the consortium.
• Under the focus area of novel uses for hydrographic data, graduate student Kandice Gunning and Dr. Steve Stanic use MBES data collected by our industry partner, David Evans & Assoc., to monitor the changes in oyster reefs over a three-year period. This National Fish and Wild-life Foundation-funded project is using the scattered acoustic signal waveforms from a high-resolution multibeam sonar system to provide estimates of the short- and long-term spatial and temporal acoustic fluc-tuations of oyster reef acoustic growth signatures. These scattered signal waveforms are being processed to provide acoustic backscattering curves and scattered signal distribution functions as a function of position and time. A Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) analysis will be used to calculate the probability of oyster growth curves as a function of oyster growth threshold values. These curves, distribution function variabilities and ROC analysis will marry ground truth observations to determine if these results provide an indication of reef growth variabil-ities and vitality. These results will also be used to propose a new set of
Hydrographic Science Research
Center
16
KEN BARBERRear Admiral (Ret.)
HSRC Director
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universal acoustic-based and cost-effective monitoring, assessment tools and oyster reef growth metrics.
• Hydrographic data is supporting the GOMR-IV CONCORDE project by analyzing the water column return from MBES to correlate phyto-plankton density detected via imaging and trawling. Graduate students Maxwell Williamson and Lauren Quas under the guidance of Dr. Ian Church are performing the analysis.
MAPPING CENTER: 2017 was the second year for the NOAA Office of Coast Survey grant that established a Mapping Center at USM. The Mapping Cen-ter is executing a number of tasks to enhance hydrographic science.
Several projects from year one of the program focus on using Airborne Lidar Bathymetry (ALB), and these will continue until completed. Results and deliverables were finalized and presented in August and September of 2017. This project involved the use of freely available NOAA LiDAR survey data to produce and test a method of analyzing shoreline movement in Mississippi’s Jackson County and its barrier islands for the purposes of efficiently direct-ing future charting updates and survey operations. Using ArcGIS software, NOAA’s VDatum toolsets, and the USGS Digital Shoreline Analysis System software (DSAS), LiDAR datasets from 1998 through 2015 were processed to create Mean High Water referenced 0-meter shoreline contours for each year of available data. These contours were then compared using the DSAS tools, and shoreline change statistics were generated, including shoreline change envelopes, change-per-year and net change. Samuel Wright conduct-ed all data processing and technical analysis for this project and produced a work flow document for the methods. Shara Gremillion conducted research, analyzed results, and produced the final report. Mick Hawkins oversaw. Graduate Student Johnson Oguntuase is analyzing the new characteristics of the GPS constellation and new international GNSS constellations to deter-mine if novel processing techniques would yield enhancements in precise positioning. He is also overseeing the acquisition and permanent installation of a Trimble NETR9 (a multi-GNSS receiver), the acquisition of commercial and scientific licenses for GNSS post-processing software, as well as the in-house development of MATLAB scripts for analysis.
Funding for year two was directed toward the acquisition and assessment of an Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV) for use as a force multiplier in hy-drographic survey work. To this end, several USVs were considered, and a purchase order was placed for an ASV Global C-Worker 5 in late 2017. This
vessel will be used in the spring 2018 UMS (Unmanned Maritime Systems) cur-
riculum, where it will be outfitted with a multibeam sonar and
used to repeat some surveys in the vicinity of the Port of Gulfport. These data will be compared to those produced by other meth-ods in order to evaluate the
efficacy of the unmanned vessel approach.
HSRC
Fund
ing by Source - $1,577,738
GOMRI—IV LADC$58,800
NOAA Mapping Center$1,518,938
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2017 Center for Gulf Studies Highlights• The Center for Gulf Studies
successfully negotiated a $3,442,337 agreement with the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality for the funding of the Mississippi Based RESTORE Act Center of Excellence (MBRACE).
• MBRACE received proposals from its member institutions for research to be conducted pursuant to the RESTORE Act. The proposals were reviewed and funded, allowing MBRACE-funded research to begin in 2017.
• Dr. Kelly Darnell received a grant for $992,136 from the NOAA RESTORE Act Science Program for a Gulf-wide study investigating the use of seagrass as habitat.
• Under the RESTORE Act, 0.5% of the Clean Water Act fines levied for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill directed to
the Gulf Coast Restoration Trust fund will be made available to the Center of Gulf Studies
as the designated Center of Excellence for the state of Mississippi. The MBRACE
Executive Steering Committee and the Core Research Program that has been established under MBRACE uses these funds to support some of the above focus areas as determined. This Core Research Program is an important opportunity
for the Center for Gulf Studies, as it has established an active center driving
science for the public good in the northern Gulf of Mexico. An advantage of the Core
Research Program is that it will also build strong collaborations among researchers at the four state
research universities.
Mission of the Center for Gulf StudiesThe Center for Gulf Studies, a partnership of Mississippi research universities, seeks sound, comprehensive science and technology-based understanding of chronic and acute stressors, both anthropogenic and natural, on the dynamic and productive waters and habitats of the northern Gulf of Mexico, and seeks to facilitate sustainable use of the Gulf’s important resources.
Center for Gulf Studies
DR. DENIS WIESENBURGProfessor of Marine Science and Director, Center for Gulf Studies
Faculty Affiliates All faculty members at USM and partner institutions have an opportunity to become faculty affiliates of the Center for Gulf Studies.
The Center for Gulf Studies, a partnership of Mississippi research universities, seeks sound, comprehensive science and technology-based understanding of chronic and acute stressors, both anthropogenic and natural, on the dynamic and productive waters and habitats of the northern Gulf of Mexico and seeks to facilitate sustainable use of the Gulf’s important resources.
CGS
Fund
ing by Source - $5,145,994
Federal Funds$5,069,494
Other Funds
$77,500
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Goals for 2018• Successfully manage the MBRACE funding in coordination with the
USM Office of Research Administration and our partner universities
• Develop a stronger working relationship with our partners at the four Mississippi research universities
• Complete the establishment of the Science Advisory Panel for MBRACE and hold an all-hands meeting in the fall to include MBRACE PIs, the Executive Steering Committee and the Science Advisory Panel
• Develop a Request for Proposals (RFP) to be used as the basis for funding the MBRACE Competitive Awards Program
• Seek other opportunities for research funding for Center for Gulf Studies affiliates
• Organize a faculty affiliates initiative and recruit faculty and research scientists to become affiliated with the Center for Gulf Studies
Dr. Kelly Darnell Hired as Deputy Director of MBRACE
Dr. Darnell was previously deputy director of the RESTORE Act Center of Excellence for Louisiana and an employee of The Water Institute of the Gulf in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. MBRACE staff also developed a robust Request for Proposals for the Core Research Program.
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Miss Peetsy B
The Miss Peetsy B is a 34-foot passenger vessel with a capacity of 34. The boat was originally donated to The University of Southern Mississippi by Jimmy Buffett and his sisters in honor of their mother, who had a passion for education. The vessel is used primarily by GCRL’s Marine Education Center for outreach programs with local schools and summer camps.
In 2017 John Wentworth was promoted to captain of the Miss Peetsy B, after serving as the lead deckhand onboard the R/V Tommy Munro since 2012. Prior to his
employment at USM, Wentworth served as an Amphibious Assault Crew-Man for the United States Marine Corps. John attended Sea School in Bayou La Batre, Ala., to attain a 100-ton Master License and began training alongside other university captains prior to his promotion.
R/V HermesThe R/V Hermes was built for Gulf Coast Research
Laboratory in 1955 by Kramer Marine in Gulfport, Miss. It is a 38-foot steel trawler with a capacity of 20 passen-gers. After 58 years of service, the plucky Hermes earned its place as the oldest piece of equipment on the state of Mississippi’s inventory. The vessel has provided transport for thousands of passengers to the barrier islands for field excursions and research projects.
The R/V Hermes has been captained by Jody Peterson since 2015. Peter-son has been employed by Gulf Coast
Research Laboratory for over 25 years, serving in many roles ranging from Parasitology Laboratory technician, deckhand, first mate and now captain. He continues to serve in different roles throughout Vessel Oper-ations as needed, ensuring all charters are properly staffed. Jody attended Sea School in Bayou La Batre, Ala., in 2008 to earn his 100-ton Master License.
R/V Jim FranksThe R/V Jim Franks is the
newest addition to the USM fleet, joining the ranks in early 2016. This vessel is a 60-foot aluminum catamaran designed specifically to meet the needs of USM research and educational platforms. The vessel has a max capacity of 40 passengers and is equipped for both day cruises and overnight trips. Some of the projects conducted onboard the R/V Jim Franks have included long-lining, water quality testing, instrumentation deployment, and surveying of the barrier islands.
Richard Block has served as the captain of the R/V Jim Franks since its arrival at USM in 2016. He began his career with the university in 2012 as a deckhand
and was later promoted to the captain of the R/V Tom McIlwain; he served in this role until the vessel was retired in 2016. Block attended Fort Myers Technical School and earned a Marine Mechanic Certificate in 1998; he then attended Sea School in St. Petersburg, Fla., to attain his 100-ton Master License.
Research Vessels
DAYS AT SEA = 59
DAYS AT SEA = 13
0
20
40
60
80
100
EDU
CAT
ION
OU
TREA
CH
6.7%
93.2%
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
EDU
CAT
ION
OU
TREA
CH
46.1%
53.8%
DAYS AT SEA = 76
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
EDU
CAT
ION
OU
TREA
CH
RESE
ARC
H
30.2%
39.4%
30.2%
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TIFFANY MCNEESE, Manager of Vessel Operations
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R/V Tommy MunroThe R/V Tommy Munro was a
bankruptcy project salvaged from a shipyard in Tampa, Fla. After years of the vessel sitting idle and only partially constructed, it was determined that the boat could be completed and put to use at Gulf Coast Research Laboratory. GCRL took delivery of the 97-foot oceanographic research vessel in 1981. Today, the boat is used primarily for offshore research in the Gulf of Mexico to include trawling surveys, side-scan work, oceanographic research, seismic research and much more.
In 2015, Ronnie Williams joined the USM fleet as the captain of the R/V Tommy Munro, with 15 years of prior experience captaining large vessels.
Ronnie’s career began on a research vessel conducting seismic surveys, later leading him to serve as a captain on supply and crew vessels. Williams attended Passport Marine Training in Pensacola, FL where he earned his 100-ton Master License.
DAYS AT SEA = 78
0
20
40
60
80
100100%
RESE
ARC
H
R/V Point SurIn February 2015, The
University of Southern Mississippi purchased the R/V Point Sur research vessel from San Jose State University through a $1 million grant provided by the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality.
Built in 1980, the 135-foot-long vessel accommodates 13 researchers and technicians and a crew of eight, while housing a 1,110-square-foot deck that includes a primary and a wet laboratory. For day cruises, the R/V Point Sur has a capacity of 40 researchers. The vessel sports a cruising speed of 9.5 knots and a range of 6,800 nautical miles at 10 knots.
In 2015, Nicholas Allen was sent to California to bring the R/V Point Sur back to Gulfport, Mississippi, after it was purchased by USM, and remains its captain. Prior to that, Nicholas served as captain of the R/V Pelican for three years. He received his captain’s license while studying Marine Technology at Cape Fear Com-munity College in North Carolina.
188 Under Contract
11 Education 1
Outreach
Researchers aboard R/V Point Sur.
Num
ber o
f Days at Sea - 200
The Vessel Operations Department at The University of Southern Mississippi acts as a nonprofit support center with the goal to provide additional resources to help aid in research, education and outreach programs along the Gulf Coast. The use of large vessels at USM enhances and expands the high-quality education and research opportunities the university is able to provide as a leading marine science institution, while providing valuable benefits to our community and associated marine economy.
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Papers Published 2017THAD COCHRAN MARINE AQUACULTURE CENTERSaillant, E.A., L. Antoni, E. Short, P. Luque, J.S. Franks, L. Reynal, C.
Pau, F. Arocha, P. Roque, F. Hazin, F. Sow, B. Falterman, M. Hanke, and P. Bannerman. 2017. Assessment of the genetic structure of yellowfin and blackfin tuna in the Atlantic Ocean using microsatellite markers. Proceedings of the 69th Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute conference 69:342—343.
MARINE EDUCATION CENTERClardy, S.D. and J.M. Hendon. 2017. Connecting teenagers to coastal
sciences through research and education: Shark Fest Program. Southeastern Naturalist 16(Special Issue 10):11—25.
CENTER FOR FISHERIES RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENTBrown—Peterson, N.J., R.T. Leaf, A.M. Schueller, and M.J. Andres.
2017. Contemporary analysis of the reproductive biology of Gulf menhaden, Brevoortia patronus, in the northern Gulf of Mexico: impacts on stock dynamics. Fishery Bulletin 115:284—299.
Brown—Peterson, N.J., M.O. Krasnec, C.R. Lay, J.M. Morris, and R.J. Griffitt. 2017. Responses of juvenile Southern Flounder exposed to Deepwater Horizon oil—contaminated sediments. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 36(4):1067—1076.
Burgos—Vázquez, M.I., P.A. Mejía—Falla, V.H. Cruz—Escalona, and N.J. Brown—Peterson. 2017. Reproductive strategy of the Giant Electric Ray Narcine entemedor in the southern Gulf of California. Marine and Coastal Fisheries 9:577—596.
Graham, P.M., J.S. Franks, J.D. Tilley, D.P. Gibson, and E.J. Anderson. 2017. Occurrence of Atlantic Tarpon (Megalops atlanticus) leptocephali in the Mississippi Sound Estuary. Gulf and Caribbean Research 28:SC12—SC16.
Johnson, D.R., H.M. Perry, G. Sanchez—Rubio and M. Grace. 2017. Loop Current spin—off eddies, slope currents and dispersal of reef fish larvae from the Flower Gardens National Marine Sanctuary and the Florida Middle Grounds. Gulf and Caribbean Research 28:29—39.
Malca, E., B. Muhling, J. Franks, A. García, J. Tilley, T. Gerard, W. Ingram, and J.T. Lamkin. 2017. The first larval age and growth curve for bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) from the Gulf of Mexico: Comparisons to the Straits of Florida, and the Balearic Sea (Mediterranean). Fisheries Research 190:24—33.
Perry, H. 2017. How to identify molt—stages in the blue crab. Mississippi Department of Marine Resources Bulletin. Mississippi Department of Marine Resources.
Rodríguez—Ezpeleta. N., N. Díaz—Arce, P. Addis, N. Abid, F. Alemany, S. Deguara, I. Fraile, J.S. Franks, A. Hanke, T. Itoh, S. Karakulak, A. Kimoto, M. Lawretta, P. Lino, M. Lutcavage, D. Macías. F. Ngom, L. Notestad,, I. P. Pascual, J. Quattro, D. Richardson, J. Rooker, M. Valastro, J. Varela, J. Walter, X. Irigoien, and H. Arrizabalaga. 2017. Genetic assignment of Atlantic Bluefin Tuna feeding aggregations to spawning grounds. Standing Committee on Research and Statistics, International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) SCRS/2017/X. 9p.
Stout. S.A., E. Litman, G. Baker and J.S. Franks. 2017. Novel biological exposures following the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill revealed by chemical fingerprinting. In: S.A. Stout and Z. Wamg eds. Oil Spill Environmental Forensics Case Studies. Elsevier Ireland Ldt. p. 757—784.
Torralba, M.G., J. Franks, A. Gomez, S. Yooseph, K.E. Nelson and D.J. Grimes. 2017. Effect of Macondo Prospect 252 oil on microbiota associated with pelagic Sargassum in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Microbial Ecology 73:91—100.
DIVISION OF COASTAL SCIENCESAndres, M.J., M.S. Peterson, E.J. Anderson, J.R. Hendon, and
J.M. Higgs. 2017. Connecting anchovies to pelagic predators by their parasites. Proceedings of the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute 69:339—340.
Antoni, L. and E. Saillant. 2017. Spatial connectivity in an adult—sedentary reef fish with extended pelagic larval phase. Molecular Ecology 26:4955—4965.
Bardon—Albaret, A.and E. Saillant. 2017. Egg quality and developmental success in the red snapper Lutjanus campechanus, effect of maternal parameters. Aquaculture Reports 7:48—56.
Bayha, K.M., N. Ortell, C.N. Ryan, K.J. Griffitt, M. Krasnec, J. Sena, T. Ramaraj, R. Takeshita, G.D. Mayer, F. Shilkey, and R.J. Griffitt. 2017. Exposure to crude oil contaminated sediment impairs immune function and increases susceptibility to pathogenic bacteria in Southern Flounder PLoS ONE 12(5): e0176559
Bayne, B.L., M. Aherns, S.K. Allen, M. Anglés D’Auriac, T. Backeljau, P. Beninger, R. Bohn, P. Boudry, J. Davis, T. Green, X. Guo, D. Hedgecock, A. Ibarra, P. Kingsley—Smith, M. Krause, C. Langdon, S. Lapégue, C. Li, D. Manahan, R. Mann, L. Perez—Paralle, E.N. Powell, P.D. Rawson, D. Speiser, J—L. Sanchez, S. Shumway, and H. Wang. 2017. The proposed dropping of the genus Crassostrea for all Pacific cupped oysters and its replacement by a new genus Magallana: a dissenting view. Journal of Shellfish Research 36:545—547.
Biber, P., and H.J. Cho. 2017. Introduction: Coastal seagrass and submerged aquatic vegetation habitats in the Gulf of Mexico. Southeastern Geographer 57:208—211.
Bidegain, G., E.N. Powell, J.M. Klink, E.E. Hofmann, T. Ben—Horin, D. Bushek, S.E. Ford, D.M. Munroe, and X. Guo. 2017. Modeling the transmission of Perkinsus marinus in the Eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica. Fisheries Research 186:82—93.
Bosker, T., L. Van Balen, M. Sepulveda, S. DeGuise, C. Perkins, and R.J. Griffitt. 2017. The combined effect of macondo oil and corexit on Sheepshead Minnow (Cyprinodon variegatus) during early development. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health Part A 80(9):477—484.
Cho J., P. Biber, K.M. Darnell, and K.H. Dunton. 2017. Seasonal and annual dynamics in seagrass beds of the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Mississippi. Southeastern Geographer 57:246—272.
Claxton, A.T., A.D. Fuehring, M.J. Andres, T.D. Moncrief, and S.S. Curran. 2017. Parasites of the Vermilion Snapper, Rhomboplites aurorubens (Cuvier), from the western Atlantic Ocean. Comparative Parasitology 84:1–14.
Corey, M.M., R.T. Leaf, N.J. Brown—Peterson, M.S. Peterson, S.D. Clardy, and D.A. Dippold. 2017. Growth and spawning dynamics of Southern Flounder in the north—central Gulf of Mexico. Marine and Coastal Fisheries: Dynamics, Management, and Ecosystem Science 9:231—243.
Darnell K.M., T.J.B. Carruthers, P. Biber, I.Y. Georgiou, T.C. Michot, and R.G. Boustany. 2017. Spatial and temporal patterns in Thalassia testudinum leaf tissue nutrients at the Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana, USA. Estuaries and Coasts 40:1288—1300.
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All SOST-affiliated authors are in bold. Publications with authors from multiple SOST units are listed under the unit affiliation of the first author.
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Darnell K.M. and K.H. Dunton. 2017. Plasticity in turtle grass (Thalassia testudinum) flower production in response to porewater nitrogen availability. Aquatic Botany 138:100—106
Dippold, D.A., R.T. Leaf, J. Franks, and R. Hendon. 2017. Growth, mortality, and movement of Cobia (Rachycentron canadum). Fishery Bulletin 115:144—154.
Fogg, A.Q., N.J. Brown—Peterson, and M.S. Peterson. 2017. Reproductive life history characteristics of invasive Red Lionfish (Pterois volitans) in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Bulletin of Marine Science 93(3):791— 813.
Fogg, A.Q., G.C. Trier, B.L. Barbara, and M.S. Peterson. 2017. The rise of northern Gulf of Mexico lionfish derbies: How do they compare? Proceedings of the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute 69:180—182.
Grimes, D.J. 2017. Climate change and disease (an editorial). Annals of Marine Biology and Research 4(2):1024.
Guest, T.W., C.F. Rakocinski, A.N. Evans and R.B. Blaylock. 2017. Effects of release procedures on the primary stress response and post—release survival and growth of hatchery—reared Spotted Seatrout, Cynoscion nebulosis. Journal of Fish Biology 90:906—921.
Korsman, B.M., M.E. Kimball and F.J. Hernandez, Jr. 2017. Spatial and temporal variability in ichthyoplankton communities ingressing through two adjacent inlets along the southeastern US Atlantic coast. Hydrobiologia 795:215—237.
Jerabek A.S., K.M. Darnell, C. Pellerin, and T.J.B. Carruthers. 2017. Use of marsh edge and submerged aquatic vegetation as habitat by fish and crustactans in south Louisiana. Southeastern Geographer 57:212—230.
Jones, E.R., C.J. Martyniuk, J.M. Morris, M.O. Krasnec, and R.J. Griffitt. 2017. Exposure to Deepwater Horizon oil and Corexit 9500 at low concentrations induces transcriptional changes and alters immune transcriptional pathways in Sheepshead Minnows. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part D: Genomics and Proteomics 23:8—16.
Kuykendall, K.M., E.N. Powell, J.M. Klinck, P.T. Moreno, and R.T. Leaf. 2017. Management strategy evaluation for the Atlantic surfclam (Spisula solidissima) using a spatially explicit, vessel—based fisheries model. Fishery Bulletin 115:300—325.
Leaf, R.T. 2017. Environmental determinants of Gulf Menhaden (Brevoortia patronus) oil content in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Ecological Indicators 82:551—557.
Pace, S.M., E.N. Powell, R. Mann, and M.C. Long. 2017. Comparison of age—frequency distributions for ocean quahogs Arctica islandica on the Western Atlantic US continental shelf. Marine Ecology Progress Series 585:81—98.
Moncrief, T., N.J. Brown—Peterson, and M.S. Peterson. 2017. Reproductive biology of Vermilion Snapper (Rhomboplites aurorubens) from the north central Gulf of Mexico. Proceedings of the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute 69:286—287.
Munguia, P., P.R.Y. Backwell, and M.Z. Darnell. 2017. Thermal constraints on microhabitat selection and mating opportunities. Animal Behaviour 123:259—265.
Overstreet, R.M. 2017. Introduction of Vasyl V. Tkach, recipient of the Henry Baldwin Ward Medal for 2017. Journal of Parasitology 103(6):613—615.
Overstreet, R.M. and W.E. Hawkins. 2017. Diseases and mortalities of fishes and other animals in the Gulf of Mexico. In: Ward, C. (ed). Habitats and Biota of the Gulf of Mexico: Before the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. Springer, New York, NY, p.1589—1738.
Pace, S.M., E.N. Powell, R. Mann, M.C. Long, and J.M. Klinck. 2017. Development of an age—frequency distribution for ocean quahogs (Arctica islandica) on Georges Bank. Journal of Shellfish Research 36:41—53.
Peterson, M.S., K.S. Dillon, and C.A. May. 2017. Species richness and functional feeding group patterns in small, patchy natural and constructed intertidal fringe oyster reefs, In: D.M. Bilkovic, M. Mitchell, M. La Peyre, and J. Toft (eds.). Living Shorelines: The Science and Management of Nature—Based Coastal Protection, CRC Marine Science Series, Taylor & Francis Group and CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida p. 383—399.
Powell, E.N. 2017. What is going on with Perkinsus marinus in the Gulf of Mexico? Estuaries and Coasts 40:105—120.
Powell, E.N., K.M. Kuykendall, and P. Moreno. 2017. The death assemblage as a marker for habitat and an indicator of climate change: Georges Bank, surfclams and ocean quahogs. Continental Shelf Research 142:14—31.
Powell, E.N., R. Mann, K.A. Ashton—Alcox, K.M. Kuykendall, and M.C. Long. 2017. Can we estimate molluscan abundance and biomass on the continental shelf? Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science 198:213—224.
Rakocinski, C. F. and K. Burns—Gillam. 2017. Temperature—modulated expression of allometric respiration strategies supports a metabolic scaling rule. Frontiers in Marine Science 4:261—270.
Russo, C.D., D.W. Weller, K.E. Nelson, S.J. Chivers, M. Torralba and D.J. Grimes. 2017. Bacterial species identified on the skin of bottlenose dolphins off Southern California via next generation sequencing techniques. Microbial Ecology 75:303—309.
Tinoco A.L., B.T. Furman, K.M. Darnell, and B.J. Peterson. 2017. Submerged aquatic vegetation, topography and flow characteristics in the upper, tidal Hudson River: progress toward a predictive habitat model. Aquatic Botany 142:53—60.
Vaudo, J.J., B.M. Wetherbee, G.C. Harvey, J.C. Harvey, A.J. Prebble, M.J. Corcoran, M.D. Potenski, K.A. Bruni, R.T. Leaf, A.D. Henningsen, and J.S. Collie. 2017. Characterization and monitoring of one of the world’s most valuable ecotourism animals, the southern stingray at Stingray City, Grand Cayman. Marine and Freshwater Research 69(1):144—154.
Wu, W., P. Biber, and M. Bethel. 2017. Thresholds of sea—level rise rate and sea—level acceleration rate in a vulnerable coastal wetland. Ecology and Evolution 7:10890—10903.
DIVISION OF MARINE SCIENCESAnsong, J.K., B.K. Arbic, M.H. Alford, M.C. Buijsman, J.F. Shriver, Z.
Zhao, J.G. Richman, H.L. Simmons, P.G. Timko, A.J. Wallcraft, and L. Zamudio. 2017. Semidiurnal internal tide energy fluxes and their variability in a Global Ocean Model and moored observations, Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans 122:1882—1900.
Arnone, R., R. Vandermuelen, I. Soto, S. Ladner, M. Ondrusek, and H. Yang. 2017. Diurnal changes in ocean color sensed in satellite imagery. Journal of Applied Remote Sensing 11(3):32406.
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Buijsman, M.C., B.K. Arbic, J.G. Richman, J.F. Shriver, A.J. Wallcraft, and L. Zamudio. 2017. Semidiurnal internal tide incoherence in the equatorial Pacific. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans 122:5286—5305.
Cambazoglu, M.D., I.M. Soto, S.D. Howden, B. Dzwonkowski, P.J. Fitzpatrick, R.A. Arnone, G.A. Jacobs, and Y.A. Lau. 2017. Inflow of shelf waters into the Mississippi Sound and Mobile Bay estuaries in October 2015. Journal of Applied Remote Sensing 11(3): 032410.
Chiaverano, L.M., and W.M. Graham. 2017. Morphological plasticity in Aurelia polyps, with subsequent effects on asexual fecundity and morphology of young medusae. Marine Ecology Progress Series 582:79—92.
Clough, J., E. Blancher, R. Park, S. Milroy, W. Graham, C. Rakocinski, R. Hendon, J. Wiggert, R. Leaf, M. Beiser, R. Harrell, and M. Wyatt. 2017. Establishing nearshore marine injuries for the Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource Damage Assessment using AQUATOX. Ecological Modeling 359:258—268.
de Mutsert, K., K. Lewis, S. Milroy, J. Buszowksi, and J. Steenbeek. 2017. Using ecosystem modeling to evaluate trade—offs in coastal management: Effects of large—scale river diversions on fish and fisheries. Ecological Modeling 360:14—26.
Dzwonkowski, B., A.T. Greer, C. Briseno—Aveno, J.W. Krause, I.M. Soto Ramos, F.J. Hernandez, A. Deary, J.D. Wiggert, D. Joung, P.J. Fitzpatrick, S.J. O’Brien, S.L. Dykstra, Y. Lau, M.C. Cambazoglu, G. Lockridge, S.D. Howden, A.M. Shiller, and W.M. Graham. 2017. Estuarine influence on biogeochemical properties of the Alabama shelf during the fall season. Continental Shelf Research 140:96—109.
Greer, A.T., C. Briseño—Avena, A.L. Deary, F.J. Hernandez, R.K. Cowen, and W.M. Graham. 2017. Associations between lobster phyllosoma and gelatinous zooplankton in relation to oceanographic properties in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Fisheries Oceanography 26(6):693—704.
Hayes, C.T., D. McGee, S. Mukhopadhyay, E.A. Boyle, and A.C. Maloof. 2017. Helium and thorium isotope constraints on African dust transport to the Bahamas over recent millennia. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 457:385—395.
Hayes, C.T., J. Rosen, D. McGee, and E.A. Boyle. 2017. Thorium distributions in high and low dust regions and the significance for iron supply Global Biogeochemical Cycles 31:328—347.
Hong, I., J.E. Pilarczyk, B.P. Horton, H.M. Fritz, T.J. Kosciuch, D.J. Wallace, C. Dike, A. Rarai, M.J. Harrison, and F.R. Jockley. 2017. Sedimentological characteristics of the 2015 Tropical Cyclone Pam overwash sediments from Vanuatu, South Pacific. Marine Geology 396:205—214.
Hood, R.R., L.E. Beckley, and J.D. Wiggert. 2017. Biogeochemical and ecological impacts of boundary currents in the Indian Ocean. Progress in Oceanography 156:290—325.
Johnson, Z.I., R.R. Bidigare, S.K. Blinebry, S.L. Brown, J.J. Cullen, S.E. Loftus, D.G. Redalje, C. Swink, and B. Van Mooy. 2017. Screening for lipids from marine microalgae using nile red. Consequences of Microbial Interactions with Hydrocarbons, Oils, and Lipids: Production of Fuels and Chemicals 2017:1—22.
Kosciuch, T.J., J.E. Pilarczyk, I. Hong, H.M. Fritz, B.P. Horton, A. Rarai, M.J. Harrison, and F.R. Jockley. 2017. Foraminifera reveal a shallow
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Romero, I.C., G. Toro—Farmer, A.R. Diercks, P. Schwing, F. Muller—Karger, S. Murawski, and D.J. Hollander. 2017. Large—scale deposition of weathered oil in the Gulf of Mexico following a deep—water oil spill. Environmental Pollution 228:179—189.
Rubin, C.M., B.P. Horton, K. Sieh, J.E. Pilarczyk, P. Daly, N. Ismail, and A. Parnell. 2017. Highly variable recurrence of tsunamis in the 7,400 years before the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. Nature Communications 8:16019.
Savage, A. C., B. K. Arbic, J. G. Richman, J. F. Shriver, M. H. Alford, M. C. Buijsman, J. T. Farrar, H. Sharma, G. Voet, A. J. Wallcraft, and L. Zamudio. 2017. Frequency content of sea surface height variability from internal gravity waves to mesoscale eddies, Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans 122:2519—2538.
Shiller, A.M., E.W. Chan, D.J. Joung, M.C. Redmond, and J.D. Kessler. 2017. Light rare earth element depletion during Deepwater Horizon blowout methanotrophy. Scientific Reports 7:10389.
Shim, M.J., Y. Cai, L. Guo, and A.M. Shiller. 2017. Floodplain effects on the transport of trace elements in the East Pearl River, Mississippi. Hydrological Processes 31:1086—1099.
Soria, J.L.A., A.D. Switzer, J.E. Pilarczyk, F.P. Siringan, N.S. Khan, and H.M. Fritz. 2017. Typhoon Haiyan overwash sediments from Leyte Gulf coastlines show local spatial variations with hybrid storm and tsunami signatures. Sedimentary Geology 358:121—138.
Wilson, S.T., F.O. Aylward, F. Ribalet, B. Barone, J.R. Casey, P.E. Connell, J.M. Eppley, S. Ferron, J.N. Fitzsimmons, C.T. Hayes, A.E. Romano, K.A. Turk—Kubo, A. Vislova, E.V. Armburst, D.A. Caron, M.J. Church, J.P. Zehr, D.M. Karl, and E.F. DeLong. 2017. Coordinated regulation of growth, activity and transcription in natural populations of the unicellular nitrogen—fixing cyanobacterium Crocosphaera. Nature Microbiology 2:17118.
Williamson, H.R., E. Sehanobish, A.M. Shiller, A. Sanchez—Amat, and V.L. Davidson. 2017. Roles of copper and a conserved aspartic acid in the autocatalytic hydroxylation of a specific tryptophan residue during cysteine tryptophylquinone biogenesis. Biochemistry 56:997—1004.
Wiggert, J.D., R.R. Hood, and C.W. Brown. 2017. Modeling hypoxia and its ecological consequences in Chesapeake Bay. In: D. Justic, R.D. Hetland, K.A. Rose and K. Fennel (Eds). Modeling Coastal Hypoxia: Numerical Simulations of Patterns, Controls and Effects of Dissolved Oxygen Dynamics. Springer p. 119—147.
Zhang L., M.C. Buijsman, E. Comino, and H.L. Swinney. 2017. Internal wave generation by tidal flow over periodically and randomly distributed seamounts. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans 122:5063—5074.
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SCHOOL OF OCEAN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
GULF COAST RESEARCH LABORATORY DIVISION OF MARINE SCIENCE 703 East Beach Drive 1020 Balch Blvd. Ocean Springs, MS 39564 Stennis Space Center, MS 39529
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