St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Home

Research programs have a primary focus of investigating processes related to coastal and marine environments and societal implications related to natural hazards, resource sustainability, and environmental change.

Science

Science

Read about our science projects, find out where we are working, and why it matters.

Science Themes

Publications

Publications

Peer-reviewed research results and conclusions, authored by Center scientists.

Publications List

News

Date published: January 14, 2021

CMHRP Lidar Coordinator/National Geospatial Program Associate National Map Liaison invited as Keynote speaker for the Management Association for Private Photogrammetric Surveyors 2021 Winter Meeting

Xan Fredericks, Lidar Coordinator for the Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program (CMHRP) and Associate National Map Liaison to Florida, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands for the National Geospatial Program, has been invited by MAPPS to provide the Keynote during their 2021 Winter Meeting.

Date published: December 17, 2020

SPCMSC Research Oceanographer, Meg Palmsten, and SPCMSC Oceanographer, Kara Doran, interviewed for a documentary film

On December 11, Meg Palmsten and Kara Doran were interviewed in person at Madeira Beach and Fort Desoto Park in Pinellas County, Florida, following USGS COVID-19 protocols. Filmmaker Dave Santillo from TerraTrek focused the interview on coastal change hazards and storm impacts research that the USGS and St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center has been leading.

Date published: December 3, 2020

SPCMSC Research Oceanographer wins Project-of-the-Year for Munitions Response from the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program

SPCMSC Research Oceanographer Meg Palmsten was awarded the project-of-the-year for Munitions Response from the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) at the 2020 SERDP Symposium, held virtually on November 30, 2020. 

Publications

Publication Thumbnail
Year Published: 2020

Underwater photographic reconnaissance and habitat data collection in the Florida Keys—A procedure for ground truthing remotely sensed bathymetric data

Bathymetric geoprocessing analyses of the Florida Reef Tract have provided insights into trends of seafloor accretion and seafloor erosion over time and following major storm events. However, bathymetric surveys sometimes capture manmade structures and vegetation, which do not represent the desired bare-earth data. Therefore, ground truthing is...

Fehr, Zachery W.; Yates, Kimberly K.
Fehr, Z.W., and Yates, K.K., 2020, Underwater photographic reconnaissance and habitat data collection in the Florida Keys—A procedure for ground truthing remotely sensed bathymetric data: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2020–1118, 13 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20201118.

Publication Thumbnail
Year Published: 2020

Reestablishing a stepping-stone population of the threatened elkhorn coral Acropora palmata to aid regional recovery

Recovery of the elkhorn coral Acropora palmata is critical to reversing coral reef ecosystem collapse in the western Atlantic, but the species is severely threatened. To gauge potential for the species’ restoration in Florida, USA, we conducted an assisted migration experiment where 50 coral fragments of 5 nursery-raised genetic strains...

Kuffner, Ilsa B.; Stathakopoulos, Anastasios; Toth, Lauren T.; Bartlett, Lucy

Publication Thumbnail
Year Published: 2020

Development and application of an empirical dune growth model for evaluating barrier island recovery from storms

Coastal zone managers require models that predict barrier island change on decadal time scales to estimate coastal vulnerability, and plan habitat restoration and coastal protection projects. To meet these needs, methods must be available for predicting dune recovery as well as dune erosion. In the present study, an empirical dune growth model (...

Dalyander, Patricia (Soupy); Mickey, Rangley C.; Passeri, Davina L.; Plant, Nathaniel G.