Projects Explorer
The NCCOS Project Explorer provides a snapshot of our official, discrete lines of research.
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Investigating Mesophotic Coral Reefs in Hawaii
Coral, Ecological and Biogeographic Assessments, Habitat Mapping, Hawaii, kimberly.puglise@noaa.gov, Marine Spatial Ecology, Other Topics, Pacific Ocean, Regional Ecosystem Science, Sponsored Research, U.S. States and Territories, Waterbodies
We investigated Hawaii’s mesophotic coral ecosystems to better understand them and their relationship to shallower reefs. We found reefs off Maui’s southwestern coast at depths ...
Is an Old Dune a More Resilient Dune? Assessing How Dune Formation Affects Coastal Protection from Storms and Sea Level Rise in North Carolina
Climate Impacts on Ecosystems, Coastal Change, Natural and Nature-based Features, North Carolina, Sea Level Rise, trevor.meckley@noaa.gov, U.S. States and Territories
We will evaluate whether naturally vegetated dunes are more resilient to storm surge and erosion than bare or planted human-made dunes. The gradual development of ...
Karenia brevis Nutrient Dynamics in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico
Florida, Gulf of America (formerly Gulf of Mexico), Harmful Algal Bloom Detection and Forecasting, harmful algal blooms, Karenia brevis, nitrogen, quay.dortch@noaa.gov, red tie, shellfish poisoning, Stressor Impacts and Mitigation, U.S. States and Territories, Waterbodies
In the relatively nutrient-poor offshore waters of the eastern Gulf of Mexico, destructive blooms of Karenia brevis cause environmental and economic destruction. We studied how ...
Keeping it in the System: Beneficial Use of Dredged Sediment to Increase Resiliency of Coastal Marshes in the Southeast
Coastal Change, Coastal Change, dredging, Florida, Habitat, Natural and Nature-based Features, North Carolina, Other Topics, Restoration, sea level rise, Sea Level Rise, sediment, Sponsored Research, trevor.meckley@noaa.gov, U.S. States and Territories
We are developing a framework and process for matching dredging needs with opportunities for beneficial use of the sediment at local marshes, to help marshes ...
Lakebed Mapping and Assessing Ecological Resources off Wisconsin’s Lake Michigan Coast
charles.menza@noaa.gov, Ecological and Biogeographic Assessments, ecological assessment, Great Lakes, Habitat Mapping, invasive mussels, Invasive Species, Lake Michigan, Lake Michigan mapping, Lake Michigan National Marine Sanctuary, Marine Spatial Ecology, maritime heritage, Proposed Wisconsin-Lake Michigan National Marine Sanctuary, resource map, shipwreck, shipwrecks, Stressor Impacts and Mitigation, U.S. States and Territories, Waterbodies, Wisconsin, Wisconsin
We worked with NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries and local partners to map and assess important lake resources in Lake Michigan offshore of Wisconsin ...
Lakebed Mapping in Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, Lake Huron
charles.menza@noaa.gov, Ecological and Biogeographic Assessments, Habitat Mapping, Marine Spatial Ecology
NCCOS, in close collaboration with sanctuary partners, will map high-priority areas of lakebed within the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Why We Care Lakebed maps ...
Land and Sea Characterization of St. Croix East End Marine Park
Caribbean Sea, chris.jeffrey@noaa.gov, Coral, dan.dorfman@noaa.gov, Ecological and Biogeographic Assessments, Habitat Mapping, Land and Sea Characterization, Marine Spatial Ecology, Social Science, St. Croix, St. Croix East End Marine Park, Stressor Impacts and Mitigation, U.S. States and Territories, U.S. Virgin Islands, USVI, Waterbodies
Established in 2003, St. Croix East End Marine Park was the first multi-use marine park in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The park’s ecosystem and the ...
Land Based Sources of Pollution in Faga’alu Bay, Tutuila, American Samoa
American Samoa, Biological Effects of Contaminants and Nutrients, dave.whitall@noaa.gov, Stressor Impacts and Mitigation, U.S. States and Territories
Land based sources of pollution (LBSP) have the potential to adversely impact coral reef ecosystem, either by directly affecting coral health and reproduction, or by ...
Land Use and Ecosystem Health: Decision-making Tools for Coastal Planning in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
Assessing Human Use, Biological Effects of Contaminants and Nutrients, Chesapeake Bay, Delaware, john.jacobs@noaa.gov, Maryland, Social Science, Stressor Impacts and Mitigation, U.S. States and Territories, Virginia, Waterbodies
We are studying how land-use decisions affect the health of an area’s ecosystem. We are building models that show the consequences of land-use choices on ...
Land-based Pollution Impacts on Ecosystem Services and Environmental Health within National Estuarine Research Reserves of the Southeastern U.S. and Selected Chesapeake Bay Watersheds
Biological Effects of Contaminants and Nutrients, coastal pollution, estuaries, Florida, Georgia, jeff.guyon@noaa.gov, Marine Spatial Ecology, North Carolina, population growth, runoff, South Carolina, Stressor Impacts and Mitigation, U.S. States and Territories
Environmental conditions in the coastal zone are in decline due to increased coastal development and pollution. Using land-use modeling and environmental observations, we are determining ...
LEOFS-Hypoxia: Operational Lake Erie Hypoxia Forecasting for Public Water Systems Decision Support
CHRP, felix.martinez@noaa.gov, Great Lakes, hypoxia, Hypoxia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Stressor Impacts and Mitigation, U.S. States and Territories, Waterbodies
Deep waters of Lake Erie’s central basin have areas of low dissolved oxygen. Weather conditions can determine if this low oxygen (hypoxic) water will be ...
Leveraging Partnerships to Define Ecological Indicators, Status and Trends for Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary
bryan.costa@noaa.gov, Climate Impacts on Ecosystems, Coastal Change, jenny.waddell@noaa.gov, Marine Spatial Ecology, Pacific Ocean, Regional Ecosystem Science, U.S. States and Territories, Washington, Waterbodies
In 2019, Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary (OCNMS) began evaluating the condition of marine resources inside its boundaries. This collaborative project is supporting this process ...
Life and Death of Karenia brevis Blooms in the Eastern Gulf of America
ECOHAB, Florida, Forecasting, Gulf of America (formerly Gulf of Mexico), Gulf of Mexico, harmful algal bloom, Harmful Algal Bloom Detection and Forecasting, Karenia brevis, marc.suddleson@noaa.gov, Other Topics, Sponsored Research, Stressor Impacts and Mitigation, U.S. States and Territories, Waterbodies
An extensive bloom of the brevetoxin-producing Karenia brevis occurred from 2017 to 2019 in Florida. The economic, environmental, and human health impacts were quite severe ...
Life and Death of a Karenia Bloom in the Western Gulf of Mexico
Forecasting, Gulf of America (formerly Gulf of Mexico), harmful algal bloom, Harmful Algal Bloom Detection and Forecasting, IFCB, Karenia brevis, marc.suddleson@noaa.gov, Other Topics, Sponsored Research, Stressor Impacts and Mitigation, Texas, TOAST, U.S. States and Territories, Waterbodies
Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are increasing in frequency and pose a threat to human and environmental health. Blooms of Karenia brevis occur nearly annually along ...
Linking Biogeochemistry to Harmful Algal Bloom Nutritional Physiology with Gene Expression Analysis: Brown Tide
Aureococcus, Biological Effects of Contaminants and Nutrients, brown tide, ECOHAB, harmful algal bloom, Harmful Algal Bloom Detection and Forecasting, New York, Other Topics, quay.dortch@noaa.gov, Sponsored Research, Stressor Impacts and Mitigation, U.S. States and Territories
The Long Island Brown Tide (LIBT) threatens shellfish and sea grasses in mid-Atlantic estuaries. LIBT-specific gene expression assays are being developed and tested for enzymes ...
Linking Coral Reefs, Coastal Watersheds, and Human Communities in the Pacific Islands: Using a Science to Management Approach
Assessing Human Use, Assessing Vulnerability and Resilience, Coral, coral reef, felix.martinez@noaa.gov, Guam, Marine Spatial Ecology, Pacific Ocean, Social Science, Stressor Impacts and Mitigation, U.S. States and Territories, Waterbodies, watersheds
Our research project combines ecological studies, physical oceanographic research, and social science to reduce human impacts (e.g., runoff, sediment, and non-point source pollution) that threaten ...
Linking Models and Field Experiments to Forecast Algal Bloom Toxicity in Lake Erie
felix.martinez@noaa.gov, Great Lakes, Harmful Algal Bloom Detection and Forecasting, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Stressor Impacts and Mitigation, U.S. States and Territories, Waterbodies
We are investigating the links between environmental variables and harmful algal bloom (HAB) toxins in Lake Erie to better understand the process of toxin development ...
Lionfish Control in the National Marine Sanctuaries: A Study of Lionfish Aggregating Devices and Ciguatera Levels
Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, ciguatoxin, Gulf of America (formerly Gulf of Mexico), Invasive species, james.morris@noaa.gov, lionfish, Stressor Impacts and Mitigation, Waterbodies
The invasive lionfish is one of the most dominant top predators of reef communities in the temperate and tropical Atlantic Ocean. Lionfish are reducing native ...
Living with Sea Level Rise in the Texas Coastal Bend
Coastal Change, Coastal Change, Gulf of America (formerly Gulf of Mexico), Gulf of Mexico, Natural and Nature-based Features, NNBF, Other Topics, sea level rise, Sea Level Rise, Sponsored Research, Texas, trevor.meckley@noaa.gov, U.S. States and Territories, Waterbodies
We are using modeling to identify the best locations along the Texas Coastal Bend where natural and nature-based features (NNBF) can be used to address ...
Lobster Trap Debris in Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary: Distribution, Abundance, Density, and Patterns of Accumulation
Atlantic Ocean, Ecological and Biogeographic Assessments, Florida, lobster trap, marine debris, Marine Spatial Ecology, Stressor Impacts and Mitigation, U.S. States and Territories, Waterbodies
We assessed the abundance and distribution of derelict spiny lobster trap debris in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary using towed-diver surveys. We found that ...
Location and Status of Reef Fish Spawning Aggregations in the Florida Keys
aggregations, Atlantic Ocean, chris.taylor@noaa.gov, cubera snapper, Florida, Gulf of America (formerly Gulf of Mexico), Habitat Mapping, Marine Spatial Ecology, mutton snapper, spawning, U.S. States and Territories, Waterbodies
We are identifying and surveying historical and recently reported reef fish spawning aggregations in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Spawning aggregations are critical to ...