Director's Note

Junior faculty research heats up as temps cool down

(Photo credit: Brianne Lehan)

Fall is finally in the air in Florida! In the expansive salt marshes that define the northern coastal margins of our state, this is the season when smooth cordgrass (Spartina alterninflora) shoots up an additional 10 to 15 inches as it flowers and produces billions of seeds. This boisterous display of production sparks awe as well as an appreciation for the tremendous energy harbored by these grasslands and supplied to the surrounding estuaries.   

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A public-private collaboration is improving predictions of hurricane impacts on coastal communities

(Photo credit: Bilanol - stockadobe.com)

The United States has experienced 23 extreme weather events so far this year, including hurricanes, that each carry losses exceeding $1 billion, according to NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information. In response, experts from industry, government and academia are collaborating to produce forecasts of hurricane damage before they make landfall.   

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In the Field

New models of St. Augustine shorelines will aid in their protection

(Photo credit: Jacob Stasiewicz)

In June, a team of scientists and researchers from the University of Florida Center for Coastal Solutions (CCS), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Research and Development Center (ERDC), Villanova University and the University of North Carolina Wilmington traveled to St. Augustine, Florida, to survey eroding shorelines and develop new models to aid in their protection.    

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Tech Dive

Scientists adapt ocean models to monitor and predict estuary health

(Photo credit: Joe Whalen)

Estuaries are a defining feature of Florida’s coasts. These bodies of water are found where freshwater from rivers and streams meets and mixes with salt water from the ocean. Often called the “nurseries of the sea,” they provide habitat and clean water for humans and wildlife. To understand how these coastal zones are responding to sea level rise and other threats, scientists at the Center for Coastal Solutions (CCS) are using the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) and other enhanced ocean and estuary modeling tools to identify water quality changes and drivers in estuaries, as well as predict red tide and other coastal water quality hazards. 

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SeaSquad

Joe Marchionno: restoring marine habitats of threatened birds

(Photo credit: Janell Brush)

Joe Marchionno vividly recalls the sense of wonder he felt as he got an up-close look at a bird for the first time while a colleague at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) attached a small band to the bird’s leg to track its movements.

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Upcoming

(Photo credit: IFAS NCBS)

10/18/23 Nature Coast Currents: Virtual Seminar Series

(Photo credit: SACNAS conference)

10/26/23 National Diversity in STEM Conference