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Research Work at the Lab
The NUTRIENTS TEAM, under the leadership of Dr. Michael C. Murrell (murrell.michael@epa.gov), conducts research to quantify the relationships between nutrient loading and ecological responses in Gulf of Mexico estuaries and near-coastal receiving waters. This research directly contributes to EPA's Water Quality Multi-Year Plan, Long-Term Goal 1 to: "Provide the approaches and methods to develop and apply criteria for habitat alteration, nutrients, suspended and bedded sediments, pathogens and toxic chemicals that will support designated uses for aquatic systems."
Researchers who support this research effort include:
| Mr. Jed Campbell | Mr. Joe James | Ms. Sherry Wilkinson |
| Ms. Cynthia Chancy | Dr. Janis Kurtz | Ms. Diane Yates |
| Mr. George Craven | Dr. John Lehrter | |
| Dr. Richard Devereux | Dr. Michael Lewis | |
| Dr. Richard Greene | Mr. Robert Quarles | |
| Dr. James Hagy | Mr. Roman Stanley |
Team research goals include: 1) Provide monitoring and research data to support the development of a risk-based, multimedia modeling framework that quantifies nutrient load - hypoxia relationships in the northern Gulf of Mexico; 2) Determine relationships between nutrient load and submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) loss and factors controlling SAV response to nutrients; 3) Define and quantify relationships between nutrient loading and dissolved oxygen levels in Gulf of Mexico estuaries to aid in developing defensible nutrient criteria protective of aquatic life and designated uses; 4) Develop and evaluate quantitative measures of food web attributes sensitive to nutrient loading in coastal receiving waters and to assess the utility of food web analyses to improve our ability resolve adverse changes resulting from nutrient enrichment; and 5) Assemble data and develop methods for classifying coastal receiving waters based on responses to nutrient loading.
Research Task 1, "Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Monitoring and Modeling," coordinated by Dr. Michael Murrell (murrell.michael@epa.gov) is one component of a coordinated Gulf hypoxia modeling framework that will integrate state and process-rate variables into a numerical modeling construct or framework. The goal of the Gulf hypoxia modeling framework is to develop a risk-based forecasting capability to aid water resource managers in making scientifically defensible nutrient management decisions to reduce the hypoxia problem, restore the natural habitats, and restore food web assemblages along the LA/TX coast. This task is focused on the field monitoring and research data required in support of the modeling framework. The objectives of this task are to: 1) Characterize the spatial and temporal variability in oceanographic state and process variables in the Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone, including resolution of the seaward and down-plume boundary conditions of the model domain; 2) Quantify key processes influencing hypoxia to improve predictive models; and 3) Develop a database to support model development.
Research Task 2, "Development of Nutrient Load - SAV Loss Relationships and Factors that Control SAV Response to Nutrients," coordinated by Dr. Richard Devereux (devereux.richard@epa.gov), is designed to relate nutrient load to SAV condition in Gulf of Mexico coastal habitats. This effort is directed towards validation of SAV models at two scales for the Gulf of Mexico coastal region. One set of models utilizes plant growth and biomass parameters, combined with sediment geochemical parameters, to predict SAV growth and survival and, through subsequent population-level models, to predict SAV coverage within an estuary. A second set of models utilize nutrient loading data over large geographic and watershed areas to predict landscape scale changes on SAV coverage and distribution. Results from this research will improve the scientific basis to protect and preserve SAV by providing information important for decisions on regulating the quality of receiving waters.
Research Task 3, "Response of Gulf Coast Estuaries to Nutrient Load: DO, Food Webs, and Classification," coordinated by Dr. James Hagy (hagy.jim@epa.gov), will improve the science supporting nutrient criteria development for coastal waters in the Gulf of Mexico region. The research objectives are to: 1) Identify and quantify ecological conditions and ecosystem processes that govern the relationship between nutrient loading to Gulf of Mexico coastal waters and incidence of hypoxia; 2) Refine methods for classifying coastal ecosystems according to their likely responses to nutrient loading in order to improve the performance of generally applicable models of coastal ecosystem responses to nutrient enrichment; and 3) Describe how coastal food webs respond to eutrophication caused by nutrient enrichment, how food web responses to eutrophication can be evaluated in practice, and how food web responses may serve as early indicators of eutrophication-related ecological change.
The COASTAL ASSESSMENT TEAM, under the leadership of Mr. Jim Harvey (Harvey.jim@epa.gov), conducts research to develop, validate and integrate approaches and methods for assessing the ecological condition of estuaries and coastal waters of the United States. This research directly contributes to EPA's Ecology and Water Quality Multi-Year Plans to support the use of a common monitoring design and appropriate ecological indicators by states and tribes to determine the status and trends of ecological resources.
Researchers who support this research effort include:
| Mr. Alex Almario | Dr. Fred Genthner | Dr. Mike Lewis |
| Ms. Cynthia Chancy | Mr. Jim Harvey | Mr. John Macauley |
| Mr. George Craven | Ms. Linda Harwell | Dr. Janet Nestlerode |
| Mr. Darrin Dantin | Mr. Joe James | Mr. Bob Quarles |
| Dr. Jack Fournie | Dr. Steve Jordan | Ms. Lisa Smith |
| Ms. Stephanie Friedman | Dr. Jan Kurtz |
Research Task 1, "Planning, Design, and Oversight of Coastal Programs for EMAP," coordinated by Mr. John Macauley (macauley.john@epa.gov), Ms. Virginia Engle (engle.virginia@epa.gov), and Mr. James Harvey (Harvey.jim@epa.gov), provides the science and coordination needed for a State-based statistical monitoring framework to determine condition and detect trends in condition for the Nation's coastal resources. In addition to determining the current status of a coastal system, monitoring and assessment of condition indicators provides evidence to support preliminary assessments of the causes of impairment. Activities in this task include management of cooperative agreements with state environmental resource agencies, development of survey designs, data management, quality assurance, statistical analyses, and regional/national reports.
Research Task 2, "Development of Ecological Performance Indicators," coordinated by Dr. Jack Fournie (fournie.john@epa.gov), examines the potential to develop measurements related to actual performance, or attainment of goals related to 'fishable and swimmable waters'. Three ecological performance indicators will be developed for estuaries within this task. They include a fish health index, fish community indicators, and fecal and pathogen indicators.
Research Task 3, "Diagnostic Assessment of Aquatic and Estuarine Resources," coordinated by Ms. Virginia Engle (engle.virginia@epa.gov) and Dr. Janis Kurtz (Kurtz.jan@epa.gov), will utilize the SI (Stressor Identification) process, used by states to identify the causes of biological impairment, to develop tools to diagnose the cause(s) of impairment from multiple stressors in coastal estuarine systems. Although the Stressor Identification (SI) process focuses primarily on single stressors in freshwater systems, the concepts can be applied to multiple stressors in estuaries as well.
Research Task 4, "Altered Habitats," coordinated by Dr. William Fisher (fisher.william@epa.gov), Mr. Darrin Dantin (dantin.darrin@epa.gov), and Dr. Stephen Jordan (Jordan.stephen@epa.gov), investigates altered habitats as an aquatic stressor, emphasizing the role of critical estuarine habitats to species that provide an ecosystem service, namely those fish and shellfish of economic importance. Selected vegetated and oyster habitats will be examined for their capacity to provide and sustain commercially important shrimp, oyster and finfish populations. Habitat must be evaluated not only on spatial extent, but on the extent of functional qualities, or attributes, for each species of interest. Research conducted under this task will provide quantitative estimates of the importance of critical habitats on the sustainability of valued aquatic species and lead to recommendations for habitat criteria.
The ECOTOXICOLOGY TEAM, under the leadership of Dr. Michael Hemmer (hemmer.michael@epa.gov), conducts research to determine the toxicological and physiological responses of aquatic animals to environmental stressors and quantitate and evaluate those responses as indicators of population condition and sustainability, and to provide cross-species extrapolation of effects from surrogates to other species. The ultimate goal of these efforts is to provide the data necessary for development of predictive models for hazard identification in aquatic animals. This research effort supports Goal 2 Multi-Year Plan (MYP) for Water Quality, Goal 4 MYP's for Safe Pesticides and Safe Products (SP2), Endocrine Disruptors MYP and the Computational Toxicology Framework.
Researchers who support this research effort include:
| Mr. Alex Almario | Ms. Becky Hemmer | Dr. Calvin Walker |
| Dr. Mace Barron | Dr. Michael Hemmer | Ms. Sherry Wilkinson |
| Ms. Gerri Cripe | Ms. Marilynn Hoglund | |
| Dr. John Fournie | Dr. Sandy Raimondo | |
| Ms. Peggy Harris | Ms. Kimberly Salinas |
Team research goals include: 1) Characterize the multigenerational effects of environmental stressors on aquatic animals and provide protocols for agency use in evaluating these effects; 2) Predict direct and indirect effects of chemical contaminants on aquatic animals using cross-species extrapolation of effects; and 3) Provide predictive models for hazard identification in aquatic animals using protein profiling of effects.
Research Task 1, "Characterize and Model the Transgenerational Effects of Pesticides on Estuarine Crustaceans," coordinated by Dr. Charles McKenney, Jr. (mckenney.chuck@epa.gov), will lead to: 1) An evaluation of the transgenerational effects of pesticides acting as endocrine disruptors on Americamysis bahia; 2) Development of a protocol for OPPTS for evaluating transgenerational effects of pesticides on an estuarine crustacean; 3) A test guideline for a mysid transgenerational toxicity test for the OECD Environment, Health and Safety Division, Ad hoc Expert Group on Invertebrate Testing for Endocrine Disruptors; and 4) Development of models to predict transgenerational effects of pesticides on mysid shrimp populations.
Research Task 2, "Ecotoxicology of Chemical Contaminants: Predicting Effects on Aquatic Animals," coordinated by Dr. Sandy Raimondo (raimondo.sandy@epa.gov) and Dr. Mace Barron (barron.mace@epa.gov), will develop and refine tools for estimating species sensitivity and population-level responses of aquatic organisms to pesticide impacts. The Interspecies Correlation Estimation (ICE) program has been developed to predict acute toxicity to under- represented taxa, and the Acute to Chronic Estimation (ACE) program has been developed to predict chronic toxicity. Population projection models have been developed to allow estimation of population-level responses of aquatic organisms from standard life-cycle toxicity data. Future risk assessments will require the assessment of risks to aquatic organisms using population level models that incorporate stochasticity and density-dependence, and the ability to assess exposure on a spatially explicit basis. The modeling approaches that will be developed, evaluated, and refined will provide useful tools for estimating species sensitivity, and for determining population-level responses to pesticide impacts.
Research Task 3, "Proteomics in Ecotoxicology: Protein Profiling and Biomarker Identification in Aquatic Animals," coordinated by Dr. Calvin Walker (walker.calvin@epa.gov) and Dr. Michael Hemmer (hemmer.michael@epa.gov), will provide predictive models for hazard identification in aquatic animals using protein profiling of effects. A transferable protocol, readily applicable to any species or chemical toxicity mechanism of interest, will be produced to identify chemically-mediated effects based on a rapid high throughput protein expression profiling technique. If possible, linkages between protein expression patterns and traditional toxicity endpoints will be identified for specific chemical modes of action. The assay and model will undergo external validation using a contract or cooperative agreement funded through ORD's Computational Toxicology Implementation Steering Committee (CTISC). Validation of the technique by an impartial laboratory is an essential component in assuring an accurate and reproducible protocol for end-users.
Research Task 4, "Development of a Tier II EDC Two-Generation Test Guideline for the Sheepshead Minnow," coordinated by Ms. Gerri Cripe (cripe.geraldine@epa.gov), will provide the Agency with a transferable two-generation toxicity test guideline using the sheepshead minnow, Cyprinodon variegatus. The research will 1) Incorporate advancements in methods and technology to refine and reduce variability in sheepshead minnow chronic exposure test procedures; 2) Develop and demonstrate a transferable sheepshead minnow two-generation toxicity test guidelines; 3) Assess the value added impact of a two-generation test over refined early life-stage and chronic exposure guidelines; and 4) Explore and determine utility of application of statistical models which may predict population-level effects of reproductive toxicants.
The GLOBAL CHANGE TEAM, under the leadership of Dr. William Fisher (fisher.william@epa.gov), will characterize the effects of global change stressors, particularly elevated temperature and solar radiation, on condition of corals and coral populations. This research effort supports the Global Change Research Program's Long Term Goal: "Build capacity to assess and respond to global change impacts on fresh water and coastal ecosystems" within Goal 4: Communities and Ecosystems.
Researchers who support this research effort include:
| Dr. Mace Barron | Dr. William Fisher | Ms. Leah Oliver |
| Mr. Walter Burgess | Ms. Peggy Harris | Mr. Bob Quarles |
| Mr. Jed Campbell | Ms. Linda Harwell | Dr. Debbie Santavy |
| Mr. Lee Courtney | Ms. Becky Hemmer | Ms. Sherry Wilkinson |
| Dr. William Davis | Dr. Dragoslav Marcovich |
Research Task 1, "Field Evaluation of Coral Condition," coordinated by Dr. William Fisher (fisher.william@epa.gov), creates tools to characterize coral condition and provide useful information for coral reef assessment and resource management. This task develops quantitative assessment tools that can be used to characterize and isolate global change effects on stony corals using status comparisons and trend analyses. The tools are also useful for development of biological criteria to support informed management.
Research Task 2, "Effects of Temperature and UVR on Corals and Coral Symbionts (Symbiodinium spp.)," coordinated by Dr. John Rogers (rogers.johne@epa.gov), characterizes the responses of coral and Symbiodinium spp. to temperature, ultraviolet light radiation (UVR), and the combined effects of temperature and UVR. The purpose of this task is to develop dose-response relationships or response surfaces for estimating the effects of temperature and UVR on corals and their associated Symbiodinium spp. in laboratory studies.
Research Task 3, "Geospatial Analysis of Coral Health and Global Change Stressors," coordinated by Dr. Mace Barron (barron.mace@epa.gov), will determine geospatial relationships between coral disease, bleaching, and species diversity in South Florida reefs with temporal and spatial distributions of global change and other stressors, including water quality impairment and human uses. GIS research will allow more quantitative geospatial analyses of the association between the spatial and temporal trends in coral health and stressor distributions.
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