Ecology
The ecology group studies algal species in the laboratory and in the field. They study how different factors, such as nutritional requirements, affect relationships between species and their environment.
The HAB ecology group studies the relationships between HAB species (including the Florida red tide organism, Karenia brevis) and their environment. Research is diverse, and projects include studies to determine the different nutritional requirements of HAB species, the role of different types of nutrients in supporting red tides, the influence of behaviors (such as swimming) on bloom development, the use of light by different HAB species, and the effects of zooplankton grazing on blooms. Using both laboratory cultures and HAB species collected during research cruises, the ecology group examines how species respond in the laboratory and in natural blooms to identify the different factors that both cause and control red tides.
