Back to News & Events

North Carolina Sea Grant Announces New Research Projects


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Katie Mosher, 919/515-9069, kmosher@ncsu.edu
E-Ching Lee, 919/515-9098, eching_lee@ncsu.edu

Posted Monday, April 2, 2012

North Carolina Sea Grant has selected a dozen new core research projects for the 2012 to 2014 funding period. These studies will enable scientists to learn more about our coast and its inhabitants — on land and in the sea — and improve the overall understanding of pressing coastal issues.

"Some of this research uses cutting-edge technologies to learn more about the genetic diversity of herring and the makeup of the Neuse River phytoplankton assemblage. More traditional methods will look at wastewater treatment, managing coastal erosion and the transport of eroded material. Other projects will study fish populations and aquaculture, and oysters and oyster reef restoration," says Steve Rebach, Sea Grant's associate director.

The funded research represents all four of Sea Grant's major focus areas: Healthy Coastal Ecosystems, Hazard Resilience in Coastal Communities, Sustainable Coastal Development, and Safe and Sustainable Seafood Supply. Most of these projects also support graduate students, helping to build North Carolina's next generation of scientists.

The researchers receive a combination of support from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Sea Grant College Program and matching dollars from the institutions receiving the funding.

"The 2012–2014 Omnibus will fund eight universities in North Carolina, from Appalachian State University in the west and North Carolina Central University in the piedmont to the University of North Carolina Wilmington on the coast," Rebach notes.

In addition to collaborating with colleagues from within the state, North Carolina researchers will partner with scientists from South Carolina and Massachusetts, and from agencies such as the U.S. Geological Survey, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and N.C. National Estuarine Research Reserve.

Since 1970, North Carolina Sea Grant has been a source for research, education and outreach opportunities relating to current issues affecting the state's coast and its communities. One of 32 programs in the country, North Carolina Sea Grant strives to be a valuable resource for scientists, educators, local officials, government agencies, coastal businesses and the public to find unbiased, scientifically sound information about the state's coastal ecosystems.

Sea Grant also manages a mini-grant program that provides rapid-response, seed and starter support from federal funds for small projects, typically costing less than $5,000. The results of Sea Grant-funded research are disseminated to agencies, communities, businesses and the general public through its extension, education and communication activities.

The new core research projects are as follows:

Healthy Coastal Ecosystems
  • Are Fish Productivity Metrics Related to Anthropogenic Alterations of Habitat?
    Jeffrey Buckel and Joseph Hightower, North Carolina State University; and Benjamin Letcher, U.S. Geological Survey, Massachusetts.

  • Metapopulation Dynamics Guides Oyster Restoration and Shell Budgets in North Carolina
    David Eggleston, NC State; and Amy Ringwood, University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

  • A Metatranscriptomic Survey of the Eukaryotic Plankton Community Along the Freshwater-Marine Continuum in the Neuse River Estuary
    Adrian Marchetti and Hans Paerl, UNC Chapel Hill.

  • Examining the Source and Transport of Land-Derived Material Impacting North Carolina Coastal Waters: An Integrated Approach Using Remote Sensing, Fluorescence Spectroscopy and Geochemical Analysis
    Richard Miller, East Carolina University; Brent McKee, UNC-CH; and Christopher Buonassissi, ECU.

  • Building Ocean and Environmental Literacy Among North Carolina's K-12 Students; a Project in Conjunction with the North Carolina Environmental Literacy Plan
    Markus Nils Peterson, NC State; Laurell Malone, North Carolina Central University; and Susan Moore and Renee Strnad, NC State.

  • Quantifying Oyster Reef Accretion Rates and Structural Evolution for Improving Estimates of Carbon Sequestration and Restoration Success
    Antonio Rodriguez and Joel Fodrie, UNC-CH; and John Fear, N.C. National Estuarine Research Reserve.

  • Application of Genetic Markers to Inform River Herring Management
    Tom Schultz and Eric Palkovacs, Duke University; and Anthony Overton, ECU.

Hazard Resilience in Coastal Communities

  • Vulnerability of Coastal Sewage Collection Systems to Inundation
    Lawrence Cahoon, UNC Wilmington.

Sustainable Coastal Development

  • Economic Values of Coastal Erosion Management Craig
    Landry, ECU; and John Whitehead, Appalachian State University.

Safe and Sustainable Seafood Supply

  • Optimization of Ions for Low-Salinity Culture of Southern Flounder with Emphasis on Reduction of Sodium Chloride in Recirculating Aquaculture Systems
    Harry Daniels and Russell Borski, NC State; and Wade Watanabe, UNCW.

  • A Comprehensive Evaluation of Biological and Ecological Factors Influencing the Sustainable Management of Large Pelagic Fishes in North Carolina Waters
    Frederick Scharf and Michelle Staudinger, UNCW.

  • Managing Reproductive Failure in Fisheries and on Fish Farms: A Joint North Carolina/South Carolina Sea Grant Project
    Craig Sullivan and Benjamin Reading, NC State; and Robert Chapman, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.

###

North Carolina Sea Grant: Your link to research and resources for a healthier coast