Research and Conservation April 2021

Research and Conservation

April 2021

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Flagship Programs

 We are currently collecting 30 – 50 buckets of shell a week from our 21 partnering restaurants. We are struggling to keep up with the amount of shell that is coming in. We have three tables that the shell sits on to ‘cure’ for a minimum of three months and then it is bagged for deployment. The tables are so full that we constructed a temporary table, which is now full too. We are hoping that the summer months will lessen the oyster shell load for us and we can get back to a more manageable program.

 We held one bagging event over the last month with a limited capacity of volunteers in order to maintain social distancing.

 Oyster spat was collected and counted on March 24th _{(see Figure 1 below). Spat monitoring is currently being}

processed after the April (21st_{) collection. The next oyster spat collection is scheduled for May 19}th_{, 2021.}

o Twice a year we harvest 10 oysters from each of our monitoring locations. By harvesting oysters, we are able to assess their condition index (CI), or relative health, in the IRL and SLE. We found that oyster CI in the IRL was significantly greater than the oyster CI in the SLE. See figure 2 below for more

information. FOSTER

 The Citizen Science Seagrass Network (CSSN) is full steam ahead! The program goal is to assess the state of seagrass habitat and the overall health of the IRL with the help of our volunteers. As an in-water activity, volunteers monitor seagrass beds once a month on their own shoreline or a nearby publicly accessible location. The CSSN was successfully launched in March 2021, following three zoom webinars and an in-person training workshop at FOS. We assigned volunteer seagrass monitors to ten pre-selected seagrass sites (see Figure 3 below). During our first month of sampling (April 2021) nine of the ten sites were successfully monitored and data was submitted.

o From the data gathered, 66.7% of our sites were recorded as having sparse seagrass, with the remaining 33.3% being recorded as patchy.

o Seagrass species were recorded within haphazard quadrats at seven of our nine sites. Halodule wrightii was most prominent, being recorded within quadrats at five different sites. The threatened species

Halodule johnsonii was recorded at four sites and Thalassia testudinum was recorded at two of our sites.

o Caluerpa algae was only noted within the sampling area at one of our nine sites but drift algae (all spp.) were recorded within quadrats at eight different sites.

WaterQUEST

 Individuals that are comfortable with testing at public sites are doing so while maintaining social distancing guidelines. Out of the 35 active testing sites, we are averaging 27 sites a week, with one site tested by staff (FOS Dock).

 We have been busy training six new WQ testers to fill the spots of those that have retired over the last year.  We updated the zone map for the WQ report (Figure 4); it is more detailed and accurate than the previous map

and is a wonderful use of the ArcGIS license that we subscribe to.

 Weekly water quality reports are being published each week: Click here to see the latest report.  Click here to subscribe to the weekly Water Quality report.

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April 2021

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Living Shorelines

 We have ten homeowners interested in a living shoreline (oyster bags) on their property. Three permits were submitted on April 1st _{and two more are slated to be submitted on May 1}st_{, leaving a waiting list of five properties}

for the fall.

 Hagan Family Foundation Project (Grant) – No updates. This work is dependent on permitting and cannot begin until DEP and ACOE permits are obtained.

 Plastic-Free Alternatives to Oyster Bags (Grant) –While waiting on the permits, the hands-on portion of the project has begun! We have a volunteer event on April 22nd _{to construct Oyster Blocks. Oyster blocks are cast in}

shallow bins which are filled with loose cultch and then mixed with a thin cement slurry. We plan on having multiple other events in May to construct other plastic-free modules.

Additional Projects and Activities

Research Lab Replacement – The finishing touches to the lab (carport, pavers, etc.) are still on hold. We hope to have the carport constructed this spring with the help of Operations.

Clam Restoration Workshop – No updates for the workshop scheduled for September 17th_{, 2021.}

Clam Restoration in the IRL – We have been busy planning experiments and logistics. We traveled to Brevard County on March 30th _{for five site visits at the Environmentally Endangered Lands in Melbourne. We also participated in a clam}

deployment at one of the sites (Hogs Cove) on April 13th_{. We brought back 5,000 Super Clams after that event to use for}

an experiment on campus.

 Clam + Seagrass Experiment: We are planning to document how clams and seagrass grow together under different light levels (used as a proxy for turbidity). We hypothesize that clams will provide enough of a nutrient subsidy to help the seagrass overcome the stress of light limitation. We hope to have the experiment up and running in early May.

Samson Island Restoration – We have been busy in Satellite Beach! On April 9th _{we transported and deployed 1,000}

oyster bags at Samson’s Island with the help of Satellite Beach volunteers. On April 16th_{, we deployed 1,000 seagrass}

mats into the same restoration area. The mats were made during a series of volunteer events that week. Staff will also be heading up on April 23rd _{to help Harbor Branch plant their seagrass plugs and help Whitney Lab deploy their clams. It was}

a fun project to be a part of!

Mangrove Productivity in Transitional Systems – No updates.

Jensen Beach Impoundment Restoration – We are still maintaining a water quality monitor for FWC in the

impoundment. We will be meeting with FWRI in early May to plan out the field work associated with the IRL NEP grant we secured.

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April 2021

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Figure 1. Oyster spat per shell in the Indian River Lagoon (IRL) (blue) and St. Lucie Estuary (SLE) (orange). Data are means ± SE. Each month oyster shells are deployed at 6 sites and then collected a month later. The number of spat per shell is counted.

 We took biomass measurements in March to track any changes in mangrove growth. There was no significant difference in aboveground biomass between the October and March sampling dates (see Figure 5 below). There were significantly more mangrove seedlings in the healthy (northern) cell, than in the mortality (southern) cell, suggesting that tidal flow is still impaired.

Seagrass Signs – Two of the five seagrass signs have been hung! They look great and we are excited to get the rest up. Amazon Wish list – We have populated the FOS Amazon wish list with items our department desperately needs (along with the Animal Care Department). Please share with your family and friends!

Tucker Cove Restoration – No updates.

Coastal Estuarine and Research Federation - Dr. Simpson is chairing a session at the 26th _{Biennial Coastal Estuarine and}

Research Federation (CERF) Conference. The special session will focus on the science behind mangrove encroachment and will give FOS a platform to expand our scientific reach.

Oyster Spat Monitoring – We are ten months into our monthly monitoring program. We monitor oyster spat recruitment at three sites in the SLE (0.25 – 12 ppt) and three sites in the IRL (15 – 27 ppt). Each month we put out oyster shells and then collect them a month later. The number of spat per shell is counted (Figure 1). Last month we recorded less than 1 spat settling per shell in the SLE and IRL. We are in the slow recruitment months, so the numbers are not abnormal. Oyster recruitment should pick back up in April.

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April 2021

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Figure 2. Condition Index (CI) of oysters in the Indian River Lagoon (IRL) and St. Lucie Estuary (SLE). The unitless CI is a tool that is used to estimate the effect that different environmental factors have on oyster meat quality. Lower CI suggests stressful conditions leading to a decrease in oyster productivity. Oysters in the IRL had a higher CI in relation to those in the SLE (p = 0.001).

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April 2021

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April 2021

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Figure 5. Jensen Beach Impoundment data from March 2021. The southern cell experienced a mass morality event in 2017 and is slowly regenerating. The northern cell was unaffected (control). There has been no change in aboveground biomass between the October 2020 and March 2021 sampling periods. Data are means ± SE.

Additional details on all projects and programs are available by contacting Dr. Simpson at: [email protected]

– 772.225.0505 x 114. Or check out our website!

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# Project Title Status Details Funding Type Source Lead Institution

Funding Amount to

FOS

Fiscal Year Income

Expected at? Income Expected Date? 1 Seagrass Nursury Expansion

Funds received, but are still being spent out.

Anticipated Completion by June 2020. Donations

Oceans Alive

Cash Call FOS $72,000 2018-2020

Actual - Mar. 2018

2 _{Replacement Trailer}Research Lab Waiting on Operations to build the Carport. Donations Private FOS $40,000 2019 - 2020 Actual - ???

3

Samsons Island Submerged Lands Restoration (SISLR)

One more deployement (April 23rd) before we wrap this project up.

Competitive

Grant IRL NEP

City of Satellite Beach $11,310 2020 - 2021 Completion Expected - Nov. 2021 4 Developing plastic-free alternatives for community-based oyster

restoration in the Indian River Lagoon

Permit was submitted on April 1st. Construction of modules has begun!

Competitive

Grant IRL NEP FOS $22,364 2021 Completion Nov. 2021

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Creating a Citizen Science Seagrass Monitoring

Network

Program is up and running. Competitive

Grant IRL NEP FOS $3,119 2020 - 2021 Completion July 2021

6 Restoring Shorelines in _{Martin County} Permit was submitted on April 1st. Competitive Grant

Hagan Family

Foundation FOS $10,000 2021 Initiation Paid

7 Clam Restoration _Workshop Workshop will be held on September 17th. Currently _{working with collaborators on logistics.} Competitive _Grant CERF SEERS $2,000 2021 Completion November 2021

8

Levergaing natural selection in clam populations for improved

water quality in the Indian River Lagoon

MOU has been signed and site selection is in progress Competitive Grant SJWMD Brevard Zoo $190,275 2021-2022 Quarterly April 21, July 21, Oct 21, Jan 22 Externally Funded Projects - In Progress

# Project Title Status Details Funding Type Source Lead Institution Funding Amount to FOS Fiscal Year 1

Monitoring Improved Hydrology, Water Quality, and Mangrove

Recovery in Jensen Beach

Selected February Competitive Grant IRL NEP FWC $11,427 2021-2022

2

Restoration of clam populations in the Indian River Lagoon for Water

Quality Improvement

Selected February Competitive Grant IRL NEP Whitney Lab $13,000 2021-2022 Externally Funded Projects - Proposals Selected for Funding

# Project Title Status Details Funding Type Source Lead Institution

Funding Amount to

FOS

Fiscal Year

1 Oyster Enchancement at Tucker Cove Full proposal submitted

on Dec 4, 2020 Competitive Grant FWC MEHRMA DEP none 2021-2022

2

Assessing development of ecosystem structure and function in restored

oyster reefs of the Indian River Lagoon and St. Lucie Estuary, Florida

LOI submitted on 15 Feb

21 Competitive Grant FL Sea Grant FOS $66,558.00 2022-2024

3

Overcoming Barriers to the Reintroduction of Hard Clam (Mercenaria sp.) Aquaculture and

Restoration of Environmental Condition in the Indian River Lagoon

LOI submitted on 15 Feb

21 Competitive Grant FL Sea Grant Whitney Lab $50,000.00 2022-2024 Externally Funded Projects - Proposals Submitted

Project Title Status Details Funding Type Source Lead Institution

Funding Amount to

FOS

Fiscal Year Income

Expected at?

Income Expected

Date? Externally Funded Projects - Complete - Awaiting Payment