Ecosystem Health
Understanding the marine environment and protecting it from the deleterious effects of human activities
To understand marine and coastal systems and the changes that are taking place in them, it is important to describe these systems and document the biodiversity within them. WSG studies are process-driven and focus on many levels of the natural food web, rather than concentrating solely on food fish and top predators. These studies allow for the identification and harvest of organisms and cellular products from the oceans. Descriptions and models of natural systems lead to better understanding of the impacts of conservation and exploitation of resources and the development of improved tools for ecosystem management.
Ecosystem Assessments, Modeling
Research Goal: Understand the coastal, estuarine and marine environment of Washington State and the Pacific Northwest and improve the management of coastal marine resources.
- Glass Sponge Reef Habitat in the Pacific Northwest
- Scales of Residence-Time Variation in Northwest Estuaries
Impacts of Environmental Alterations
Research Goal: Protect the integrity of marine, coastal and estuarine habitats from the effects of physical alteration, with particular emphasis on nearshore habitats.
- Habitat Modification Due to Sediment Gravity Flows: Elwha Dam Removal Baseline Study
- Puget Sound Ambient Noise and its Relation to the Ecology of Marine Mammals
- Integrating Intertidal Habitat Into Seattle Waterfront Seawalls
Contamination, Harmful Algal Blooms
Research Goal: Protect the marine environment of coastal Washington from contamination due to human activities and periodic natural disruptive events.
- Use of F+ RNA Coliphage to Determine Fecal Source Type in Oakland Bay
- Slick-forming Algae: Growth, Genetics and Toxicity
- HAB Formation by a Motile Alga in Dynamic Estuarine Environments
Non-indigenous Species
Research Goal: Minimize the introduction of non-indigenous species and manage for established populations of aquatic invasive species.
- Context-Dependent Impacts of an Invasive Predator on a Threatened Native Oyster
- Optimizing the Effectiveness of a Biocontrol Agent against Spartina Species in Washington