RESEARCH PROJECTS
Current and Recent Science at FGBNMS
Click on a category to go directly to that section of the list:
Below the Coral Cap
Geology
Monitoring
Oceanography
On the Coral Cap
* Coral
* Critters
* Algae
Additional links are provided directly from each entry when more information is available about that project.
Links from researcher's names will take you to their own websites, papers, or presentations.
A listing of government acronyms used in these descriptions is available at the bottom of the page.
Please visit our Research Bibliography web page for a chronologic listing of scientific publications and articles associated with sanctuary research from 1937 to present.
ON THE CORAL CAP
CORAL:
Graduate student Rachel Wright is studying responses by the corals to bacterial pathogens. The corals were photographed by graduate student Marie Strader under different filters to visualize the various green fluorescent protein (GFP)-like proteins living in the tissue of the corals. The function of fluorescent proteins in corals is unknown. These corals (Montastraea cavernosa) were sampled under permit for the Matz Lab at University of Texas. (Images: UT/Matz Lab/Marie Strader)
Characterization of mesophotic corals through genetic connectivity assessment and a reciprocal transplant experiment
Coral Genetics - Mikhail Matz, University of Texas; Ernesto Weil, University of Texas; Luiz Rocha, California Academy of Science
Coral Recruitment - Sarah Davies, University of Texas
Coral Spawning - Mikhail Matz, University of Texas; Sarah Davies, University of Texas; Carly Kenkel, University of Texas; Marie Strader, University of Texas; Eli Meyer, Oregon State; Sarah Guermond, Oregon State
Coral Species Catalog of FGBNMS - Tom Bright; FGBNMS
Genetic Analysis of Thermal Tolerance and Acclimation Capacity in Reef-Building Corals - Eli Meyer, Oregon State
Investigating novel mechanisms in coral recruitment at Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary - Mikhail Matz, Unversity of Texas
Mechanisms of coral larval behavior and symbiont uptake at Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary - Mikhail Matz, Unversity of Texas
Symbiodinium communities associated with scleractinian corals in the northwest Gulf of Mexico - Adrienne Correa, Rice University
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CRITTERS:
Biodiversity of Crustaceans of FGBNMS – Mary Wicksten, Texas A&M University
Chemistry of Otoliths of Lionfish - Derek Hogan, Texas A&M Univeristy Corpus Christi
Determining the Presence of Placozoans in Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary - Nathan Johnson, Texas A&M University Galveston
Fish Recruits on the Reefs at FGBNMS - Lynn Wetmore and Jay Rooker, Texas A&M University Galveston
Genetic Identification of Stomach Content Analysis of Lionfish - FGBNMS; Derek Hogan, Texas A&M University Corpus Christi
Genetics of Lionfish - University of Texas; Texas A&M University Corpus Christi
Genetics of the Spiny Lobster, Panulirus argus – John Hunt, Florida Wildlife and Fisheries Service
Invasion of Indo-Pacific Lionfish - FGBNMS; REEF
Manta Ray Census and Individual Identification – FGBNMS (continuation of work by Jeff Childs); Rachel Graham, MarAlliance
Manta Ray Satellite Tracking and Isotope Analysis - Nick Farmer (NOAA Protected Resources Division); Josh Stewart (Manta Trust, former Nancy Foster Scholar, and SCRIPPS Institution of Oceanography graduate student); National Marine Sanctuary Foundation
Movement and Oceanographic Preferences of Scalloped Hammerhead Sharks (Sphyrna lewini) in the Gulf of Mexico - David Wells, Texas A&M University Galveston
Occurrence of Elasmobranchs at FGBNMS – FGBNMS (continuation of work by Jeff Childs)
Photosynthesis and Respiration on the Carbonate Sand Sediments within FGBNMS – Gil Rowe and Tommy Heathman, Texas A&M University Galveston
Population Connectivity of the Pulley Ridge/South Florida Coral Reef Ecosystem: Processes to Decision-Support Tools - Luiz Rocha, California Academy of Sciences
Population Structure of the Bearded Fireworm (Hermodice carunculata) in the Northern Gulf of Mexico – Anja Schulze, Texas A&M University Galveston
Satellite Tagging of Whale Sharks – FGBNMS; Rachel Graham, MarAlliance; Eric Hoffmayer, NMFS
SEAMAP – Southeast Area Monitoring and Assessment Program: Assessment of Fish Populations on Reefs and Banks in the Gulf of Mexico – Kevin Rademacher, NMFS Pascagoula
Spawning Aggregations in the Northwestern Gulf of Mexico - FGBNMS
Stomach Content Analysis of Lionfish - FGBNMS
Whale Sharks: Occurrence of Individuals Using Spot Patterns – FGBNMS; Rachel Graham, MarAlliance
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ALGAE:
Examination of Flower Garden Reef for Toxic Benthic Dinoflagellates – Tracy Villareal, University of Texas Marine Science Institute
Ecology of Ciguatera Dinoflagellates – Steve Kibler, NCCOS; Pat Tester, NCCOS; FDA; FGBNMS
Identification of Algae at FGBNMS – Suzanne Fredericq, University of Louisiana at Lafayette
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MONITORING
East and West Bank Long-Term Monitoring – FGBNMS; BOEM; Texas A&M University Galveston
Fish and Benthic Habitat Characterization of FGBNMS – NCCOS Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment; FGBNMS
National Coral Reef Ecosystem Monitoring Program – FGBNMS; NCCOS
Stetson Bank Long-Term Monitoring – FGBNMS
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BELOW THE CORAL CAP
Characterization and Assessment of Deepwater Habitat of FGBNMS – FGBNMS
Characterization and Assessment of Topographic Features of the Northwestern Gulf of Mexico – FGBNMS
Characterization of Antipatharians of the Northwestern Gulf of Mexico – Marissa Nuttall, FGBNMS/Texas A&M University Galveston; Dennis Opresko, Smithsonian Institute
Characterization of Deepwater Sponges of the Northwestern Gulf of Mexico – Christi Savarese,FGBNMS; Klaus Ruetzler, Smithsonian Institute
Deepwater Coral Reef Communities of the Northwestern Gulf of Mexico - FGBNMS
Genetics of Select Antipatharians – Carlos Umana and Juan Sanchez, Universidad de los Andes; Mercer Brugler, University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Gorgonians and Antipatharians of FGBNMS and the Northwestern Gulf of Mexico – FGBNMS
Mesophotic Coral Health and Genetic Connectivity Assessment in the Tropical Western Atlantic – Joshua Voss, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute
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GEOLOGY
Fossil Reef Studies - Bill Precht, FKNMS; FGBNMS
High Resolution Multibeam Bathymetry of FGBNMS and the Northwestern Gulf of Mexico – FGBNMS; Jim Gardner, USGS/University of New Hampshire; NOAA; Niall Slowey and Julia O'Hern, Texas A&M University
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OCEANOGRAPHY
Coral Reef Ocean Acidification Sentinel Site in Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary - Niall Slowey, Texas A&M University
Current-Topography Interaction and its Influence on Water Quality and Contaminant Transport over Shelf-Edge Banks – William Teague, Naval Research Laboratory
Dead Zone - Steve DiMarco, Texas A&M University
Flower Garden Banks TABS Monitoring System - Texas A&M University-Geochemical and Environmental Research Group (GERG)
High-Resolution Subsurface Physical and Optical Property Fields in the Gulf of Mexico: Establishing Baselines and Assessment Tools for Resources Managers - Jason Joliff, Navy Research Laboratory
Ocean Acidification - Xinping Hu, Texas A&M University Corpus Christi
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Government Acronyms:
BOEM - Bureau of Offshore Energy Management
FDA - Food and Drug Administration
FGBNMS – Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary
FKNMS – Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
NCCOS – National Centers for Coastal and Ocean Science
NOAA – National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NMFS – National Marine Fisheries Service
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View a listing of Past Science Projects at FGBNMS.
For more information contact Emma Hickerson at Emma.Hickerson@noaa.gov
