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The indoor aquaculture facilities at Florida Tech’s main campus total approximately 2,500 square feet, most of which is wet laboratory space. Recirculating systems ranging from small glass aquaria through 720-gallon tanks harbor a wide variety of aquatic species. Controlled environmental factors such as temperature, salinity and photoperiod can be imposed on any of these systems, providing outstanding capabilities for studies of reproduction, early life history, growout, nutrition, behavior and related areas of virtually any aquatic species. A phytoplankton and live food culture system is available for nutritional support for planktivorous organisms. Support equipment for providing aeration, refrigeration, filtration, water quality testing and particle counting is available.
SRI is dedicated to studies of the sport fishery species that are tremendously important to Florida. Research currently focuses on the use of the Indian River Lagoon as a nursery habitat for juvenile tarpon, the basic biology and ecology of these juveniles, the genetic structure of tarpon populations and the role of offshore artificial reefs in creating habitat for diverse sport fish species. In addition to field and laboratory research, SRI personnel present talks and provide information to local and regional sport fishing organizations and publications. Funded in part by state and local grants, SRI also seeks funding and participation from corporations associated with the fishing industry and from private individuals. Contact Jon Shenker for more information.
VBML is located on four acres of oceanfront property in nearby Vero Beach. This facility serves as a field station for the university in support of research and teaching in the marine sciences. The beachfront location of VBML provides ready access to field study sites for work on the biology of coastal organisms and for studies of physical and geological processes of the coastal zone. Major research efforts at the laboratory are related to mariculture, the ecology of seagrass. The center has a seawater system and extensive holding tanks for mariculture work. A two-story laboratory building, equipped with seawater tables and flow-through seawater, supports research on mariculture, ecology and toxicology of marine organisms. Classroom and seminar areas, offices and dry laboratory facilities are provided in the main laboratory building. Contact Junda Lin for more information.
Devoted to the study of the impact of climatic change on plant communities in tropical South America. Successful conservation of tropical biodiversity requires that we understand the mechanisms controlling habitat and species distributions. Two potent forces induce changes in these distributions: climate change and human activities. My research uses paleoecology to understand the changing patterns of tropical biodiversity. Through the study of fossil pollen, and charcoal, we reconstruct the history of habitats in tropical South America. These paleoecological records allow us to reconstruct climate change over the last 200,000 years and relate it to patterns of biodiversity, speciation, and human occupation. From these observations we contribute to the current debate on global climate change and species conservation. Contact Mark Bush for more information.
The International Society for Reef Studies (ISRS) was founded in 1980 and membership has increased rapidly in recent years. As stated in its constitution, the principal objective of the Society is to promote for the benefit of the public, the production and dissemination of scientific knowledge and understanding of coral reefs, both living and fossil. To achieve its objectives the Society holds annual meetings and co-sponsors other gatherings, prints and distributes the journal Coral Reefs and the newsletter Reef Encounter, and raises funds and receives contributions by way of subscriptions and donations. Contact Dr. Van Woesik for more information.
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