New Horizons: Resilience, Innovation, Discovery
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HORN POINT LAB TO STUDY MICROPLASTICS IN THE CHOPTANK WATERSHED
Scientists at UMCES, Horn Point Lab, Drs. Jamie Pierson and William Nardin, are embarking on a research project that will lay the foundation for plastic research in the Chesapeake Bay!
Most published studies on plastic debris have not focused on estuaries, rivers, or freshwater systems. A new National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Marine Debris Program funded project will track how microplastics move through the Choptank River watershed.
The project will provide a baseline of understanding of what kind of plastics exist in the waterway and how they move through entire coastal systems.
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IT'S A REEF THING
Matt Gray, assistant professor at the Horn Point Lab, verifies the value of oyster reefs to improve water quality. His research from a Florida study confirms that dense bivalve beds, in the right locations, help clean the water, and provides clues for the Chesapeake’s restoration efforts.
Matt Gray sits on a huge pile of oyster
shells used for restoration projects at the center’s
Horn Point Laboratory.
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MARINE SNOW RESEARCH UNLOCKS MYSTERIES OF THE DEEP OCEAN CARBON CYCLE
Clara Fuchsman and Jacob Cram, assistant professors at HPL, have discovered that parts of the ocean with no oxygen are more efficient at absorbing and storing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, a key part of the Earth’s carbon cycle. Sinking particles called marine snow help remove greenhouse gas from the atmosphere.
Jacob Cram gathering water column samples in the open ocean to study dead zones role in storing carbon dioxide.
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FACULTY, STUDENTS and STAFF |
THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD: HOW CLIMATE CHANGE IS THREATENING TO WASH AWAY PARTS OF HISTORY
WUSA9 Meteorologist Kaitlyn McGrath visited Dorchester County earlier this month to explore the impacts of sea level rise and climate change on the area’s rich history. As part of her visit, Kaitlyn interviewed Horn Point Laboratory Director, Mike Roman, on predicting sea level rise through the century and what it means for Dorchester County. Watch the story and explore HPL’s research on coastal resilience and climate change.
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PhD STUDENTS ARE RECIPIENTS OF THE 2022 CLINT WATERS MEMORIAL STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS
READ ABOUT THE RESEARCH THESE SCHOLARSHIPS WILL SUPPORT
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Catherine Fitzgerald is studying how the zooplanktonic diets of significant Chesapeake Bay larval fish species (e.g. striped bass, white perch and bay anchovy) impact their health and survival to juvenile stage. Relatively little is known about the diets of larval fishes because they are so small and gut contents are very hard to sample and identify morphologically. Instead, Catherine is using genomic sequencing of the gut contents to identify the zooplankton prey species and how important (abundant) various species are in their diets. Molecular identification of prey species via genomic sequencing is a cutting-edge and very powerful and precise way to identify and quantity prey species in the stomachs of larval fish.
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Iacopo Vona is applying his engineering knowledge to develop oyster castles. Oyster castles would be constructed along shorelines to enhance coastal resilience with sea level rise while creating marine habitat. Iacopo is using modeling and flow simulation to understand the most effective castling structure designs to reduce coastal erosion and create marine habitat with the oyster populations growing on the block castles.
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GEARING UP:
THE HATCHERY PREPARES FOR THE 2022 SEASON
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The HPL Oyster Hatchery’s 2022 season is underway! In early January, the Hatchery crew started bringing oysters from the overwintering floats down in the boat basin back into the Hatchery. The oysters were sorted, cleaned, stacked, and placed into the broodstock conditioning system where they will be held for the next few months. Water temperatures will gradually be increased to mimic springtime conditions, which will encourage the oysters to begin to develop reproductive gametes. This process is repeated every two weeks, for 6-7 times until the Hatchery is full of broodstock oysters. If all goes well, the Hatchery should be able to begin spawning these adult broodstock by the end of March. This will allow the Hatchery to produce larvae, seed, and spat on shell for restoration and public fishery activities by early/mid April.
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LEXY McCARTY, SUCCESSFULLY DEFENDS HER PhD THESIS |
I first became passionate about our oceans as a young girl vacationing on the beaches of Cape Cod, MA. This motivated me to pursue a BA in Biology at St. Mary’s College of Maryland. After spending a few years creating zebrafish models to investigate undiagnosed human diseases at the National Institutes of Health, I decided to return to school and continue my education at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. For my PhD dissertation, I am investigating the genetic basis and associated physiological phenotypes underlying survival in extreme low salinity for the eastern oyster. My research will provide important information for future development of an oyster line bred specifically for aquaculture in low salinity regions, such as those in the Maryland-portion of the Chesapeake Bay. In the future, I hope to use my quantitative genetic and breeding knowledge to positively impact aquaculture and food production in the United States.
Pursuing: PhD, Ecological Systems foundation
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Dive into Science, explore the Bay and beyond
Explore a broad offering of online discussions on science relating to the Chesapeake Bay and the quality of its environment through recordings of seminars presented at the Horn Point Lab.
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Help Support the work of Horn Point Lab |
Are you committed to helping solve our environmental challenges? Perhaps you are passionate about educating the next generation of environmental leaders? Do you support science for its contributions to policy and advocacy work? By supporting the Horn Point Lab you can fulfill that purpose.
Even the smallest gift makes meaningful impact!
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Located in Cambridge, MD, Horn Point Laboratory is part of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science --
a fully-accredited graduate school and research facility conducting environmental research on a variety of ecosystems spanning from the estuarine waters of the Chesapeake Bay to the open waters of the world's oceans. Horn Point is a national leader in applying environmental research and discovery to solve society’s most pressing environmental problems.
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UMCES/HPL remains closed to the public until further notice. We look forward to sharing time with you on campus as soon as it is safe and possible. Until then, please stay safe and follow us on facebook |
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