An Overview of the Gulf Ecology Division

Introduction to the Gulf Ecology Division

William H. Benson, DIRECTOR; 1 Sabine Island Drive, Gulf Breeze, FL 32561; Telephone (850) 934-9208; Tele-Fax (850) 934-2406; e-mail benson.william@epa.gov

The Gulf Ecology Division, a unit of the National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory in EPA's Office of Research and Development, is responsible for research on the large-scale physical, chemical, and biological dynamics of coastal wetlands and estuaries, with emphasis on the Gulf of Mexico. Our research products provide information on the condition and functions of ecological resources, the services to society supplied by coastal ecosystems, rates and causes of ecological change and impairment, and predicted future conditions under various alternative scenarios. Major activities of the research program focus on: (1) approaches and indicators for assessing the condition of ecosystems, including wetlands, estuaries, and coral reefs; and (2) applying a variety of landscape, population, statistical and systems models to predict relationships between stressors and changes in the structure, functions, and values of ecosystems. The Division provides research and technical support to EPA's Regional and Program offices, states, and the Gulf of Mexico Alliance .

EPA's and GED's authority to conduct environmental research is derived from the Federal laws to protect public health and the environment. These laws include the Clean Air Act , Clean Water Act, the Toxic Substances Control Act, the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, and the Environmental Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of 1981. Refer to http://www.epa.gov/epahome/laws.htm for details about these Federal statutes.

GED is organized into three research branches and one administrative support branch:

Biological Effects and Population Response Branch (Mace G. Barron, Chief; telephone 850-934-9243; email barron.mace@epa.gov)

Ecosystem Assessment Branch (John M. Macauley, Acting Chief; telephone 850-934-9353; email macauley.john@epa.gov)

Ecosystem Dynamics and Effects Branch (Richard M. Greene, Chief; telephone 850-934-2497; email greene.rick@epa.gov)

Program Operations (Connie Shoemaker, Chief; telephone # 850-934-9226; email address shoemaker.connie@epa.gov)

There are approximately 130 staff at the Gulf Ecology Division, including 66 EPA employees, 27 with Ph.D. degrees. Other personnel include U.S. Geological Service employees, contractors, student contractors, cooperators, and guest workers.

Scientists at GED publish research in peer reviewed journals, publicly available EPA reports, books, and web-based tools. Just as important, they share information with U.S. EPA regional personnel, EPA regulatory program offices, state environmental and resource agencies, industry, the academic community, and other Federal agencies such as National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Research results are also presented at major scientific meetings.

The GULF ECOLOGY DIVISION is one of seven research Divisions within the EPA, Office of Research and Development, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, (NHEERL) with headquarters in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. NHEERL has three Human Health Research Divisions:

Environmental Public Health Division (Chapel Hill, NC)
Integrated Systems Toxicology Division (RTP, NC)
Target Organ Toxicology Division (RTP, NC)

The four Ecology Research Divisions of NHEERL are located strategically in widely-separated regions of the U.S:

Atlantic Ecology Division, Narragansett, Rhode Island;
Mid-Continent Ecology Division, Duluth, Minnesota, and Grosse Ile, Michigan;
Western Ecology Division, Corvallis and Newport, Oregon;
GULF ECOLOGY DIVISION, Gulf Breeze, Florida.

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An Overview of the Gulf Ecology Division

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