Grants Received

The following partial list is a summary of the major projects conducted by the Benthic Ecology Program.

DREDGING AND DREDGE MATERIAL DISPOSAL

  • 2007 Midnight Pass Benthic Faunal Collections, in support of a re-opening permit application.
  • 2001 Turbidity Monitoring for a dredge & fill restoration, Tampa Bay
  • 1995-1997 Effects of minerals mining on Benthos, offshore Atlantic, Jacksonville, FL
  • 1992-1996 Effects of minerals mining on Benthos, nearshore Gulf of Mexico
  • 1991-1996 Effects of thin-layer dredged material disposal on the benthos of Mississippi Sound, National demonstration project
  • 1987-1989 Analysis of benthic faunal samples from the Charleston Harbor ocean disposal site.
  • 1987-1988 Offshore dredged material disposal benthic impacts study, Tampa
  • 1987 Ocean disposal site, sampling methodology determination, Tampa
  • 1984 Gulf of Mexico disposal site, environmental impact study
  • 1982 Dredged material disposal site, Egmont Key, Florida, benthic response and recovery


OTHER INDUSTRIAL/MUNICIPAL IMPACTS

  • 1998-2009 Monitoring of benthic fauna in the Vicinity of a RO discharge, Venice, Florida
  • 1999 Monitoring of benthic fauna in the Vicinity of a RO discharge, Deerfield Beach, Florida
  • 1996-1998 Effect of the Mosquito Larvicide Temephos on Benthic Wetlands Fauna
  • 1997 Impacts of Reverse Osmosis discharge on Benthic Fauna, Antigua, Caribbean
  • 1993 Natural gas pipeline survey, habitat mapping & sediment profiling, Tampa Bay
  • 1990-1991 Kings Bay submarine base, benthic fauna and water quality
  • 1988 Alifia River acid spill, benthic impact assessment
  • 1981 Effects of treated sewage discharge, Sarasota Bay
  • 1980 Gardinier phosphate biogeochemistry & benthic recovery


NEARSHORE, ESTUARINE AND BAY STUDIES

  • 2012-present Mote Community Partnership: Scallop Restoration Initiative, private grant funding.
  • 2013-present Installation of a multiparameter water and weather monitoring tower in Charlotte Harbor. For: Southwest Florida Water Management District.
  • 2010 Field and Logistics Assistance to NOAA Mussel Watch Program. Funded by NOAA.
  • 2009-2010 Evaluation of the spatial extent, density and growth rates of barnacles in Crystal, Homosassa and Withlacoochee Rivers, Florida. Southwest Florida Water Management District.
  • 2005-2011 Restoration of the Bay scallop, Argopecten irradians, to Pine Island Sound, Tampa and Sarasota Bays. Cooperative research with other groups, various funding sources.
  • 2005-2007 Development of a Tidal Creek Index for Sarasota County.
  • 2006-2007 Development of a Tidal Creek Condition Index for Sarasota County.
  • 2004-2007 Charlotte Harbor Benthic Biodiversity Survey. Charlotte Harbor Estuary Program.
  • 2001-2005 Charlotte Harbor Initiative - Benthic Component of multidisiplinary project
  • 2000 Data Collection, currents, salinity, in vicinity of a proposed desalination facility.
  • 1998 Habitat Delineation and Condition Survey, Castaway Cay, Bahamas
  • 1998 Seagrass Mapping of the ICW in the vicinity of Palm Beach Harbor
  • 1995-1996 Seagrass and Live-bottom Habitat Mapping, Dade to West Palm Beach Counties
  • 1992 Indian River Lagoon benthic invertebrate taxonomy
  • 1992 Venice ICW habitat survey
  • 1991-1993 St. Andrews bay, benthic taxonomy
  • 1990-1992 Sarasota Bay bottom habitat assessment
  • 1990 Hard-bottom habitat survey of the nearshore zone, off Venice inlet
  • 1989 Dye study and benthic analysis, Pithlachascotee River
  • 1987-1989 Natural nearshore suspended solids levels under normal and storm conditions. Vero Beach, Clearwater & Venice.
  • 1987 Pascagoula benthic infaunal analysis
  • 1986-1989 Marine habitat restoration research, Tampa Bay
  • 1982-1984 Southwest Florida shelf ecosystems study, infauna, macroepifauna & video interpretation
  • 1980 Marine sampling program, Pinellas County


Offshore Studies

  • 2018-Present Sponsored by NOAA Ocean Exploration.
  • 2005-Present Exploration of the West Florida Shelf Blue Holes Investigation of Physical and Biological Characteristics and Archaeological Implications of Unique Karst Features.
  • 2005 through 2007 Sponsored by NOAA Ocean Exploration.
  • 2010 Survey of Gulf of Mexico patch-reefs off Sarasota and Manatee Counties.
  • 2005 Pulley Ridge Expedition, First Scientific Divers on Pulley Ridge. Harte Foundation.


POWER PLANT IMPACTS

  • 2006-2008 Implementation of 316(a) studies TECO Big Bend Power Plant. This multidisciplinary project consists of monitoring various physical and biological components to determine the effects of thermal effluent on the estuarine environment for a once-through cooling power plant.
  • 2005-2008 Implementation of 316(b) Impact Monitoring Program, TECO, Bayside
  • 2003-2008 Implementation of 316(a) Thermal Monitoring Program, TECO, Bayside
  • 2005-2007 316(b) Power Plant Study TECO Bayside
  • 2005-2007 316(b) Power Plant Study TECO Big Bend
  • 2001-2002 Development/implementation of an Thermal Monitoring Program, TECO, Bayside
  • 1991-2001 Development of an Ecological Monitoring Program, TECO, Big Bend
  • 1990-1991 FPL Anclote, thermal effects on seagrasses and infauna
  • 1979-1986 TECO, Big Bend ecological monitoring program
  • 1983-1984 Crystal River 316(a) and (b) demonstrations
  • 1978-1979 Review and evaluation of the Anclote 316 demonstration


RIVER-MARINE TRANSITIONAL ZONE

  • 2008 Benthic Faunal Identification Chassowitzka & Homosassa Rivers
  • 2005-2006 Benthic Faunal Distribution of the Chassowitzka River w/ Respect to Salinity
  • 2005-2006 Benthic Faunal Distribution of the Manatee and Braden Rivers w/ Respect to Salinity
  • 2004-2006 Lyons, Dona and Roberts Bay Macroinvertebrate Distribution and Abundance
  • 2000-2002 Lower Alafia River Study of Benthic Macroinvertebrates
  • 1997-2001 Long Term Benthic Monitoring Plan Design, Tidal Peace River
  • 1987-1988 Tidal Freshwater Myakka River, benthos
  • 1984-1985 Impact of flow reductions on Myakka River estuary
  • 1984-1985 West Florida River & estuarine studies
  • 1982 Sediments and benthos of the lower Manatee River


BEACH RESTORATION PROJECTS

  • 2000-2001 Gasparilla Island Habitat delineation and assessment
  • 1998-1999 Natural and Artificial Reef Assessment, Longboat Key, Sarasota County
  • 1997 Suspended Solids Monitoring, Hard-Bottom Habitat Mapping, near Ft. Pierce Inlet
  • 1991-1996 Longboat Key, Sarasota County
  • 1989, 1993 Hutchinson Island, Martin County
  • 1991-1992 Lido Beach, Sarasota County
  • 1991 Vero Beach, Indian River County
  • 1991 Broward County
  • 1991 Palm Beach County
  • 1990 Near shore hard-bottom community survey, Manatee County
  • 1979-1980 Panama City Beach, long term effects of restoration
  • 1987, 1990 Marco Island, Collier County
  • 1991 Venice Beach, Sarasota County


FRESHWATER, TAXONOMIC and LABORATORY SUPPORT PROJECTS

  • 1999-2002 Hog Creek Restoration - Benthic evaluation.
  • 1998-1999 Macrofauna from Florida Bay, Funded by Florida Marine Research Institute.
  • 1998 Zooplankton & Ichthyoplankton Taxonomy, Caloosahatchee River, FL, SFWMD
  • 1996-1997 Macrofauna from Florida Bay, Funded by Florida Marine Research Institute.
  • 1996-1998 Freshwater Invertebrate Taxonomic Support, IMC/Agrico Phosphate.
  • 1996 Benthic Sampling and Analysis for Sailfish Point, St. Lucie Inlet, Stuart, Florida.
  • 1995-1996 Analysis of Benthic Invertebrate and Fish Samples from the Headwaters of Foster Creek, South Carolina.
  • 1995-1996 Benthic Invertebrate Taxonomy, Caloosahatchee River, Florida
  • 1991-1993 Nova University, polychaete taxonomy
  • 1991 St. Lucy Inlet management, benthic survey
  • 1989-1991 Puerto Rico, San Juan Harbor, Aguadilla Bay, invertebrate taxonomy
  • 1987-1988 Lake Okeechobee, Assessment of aquatic weed harvesting impacts
  • 1978-1981 Benthic Fauna of Tampa Bay, a Photographic Taxonomic Manual. 
     

Meet the Team View All

Field Notes

Following the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Rig in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010, Mote scientists gathered baseline samples and assisted the NOAA Mussel Watch program.

Other Mote Research Programs View All