Research Index
Consortium for Estuarine Ecoindicator Research for the Gulf of Mexico
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Biofilm
Microbial biofilms (periphyton, aufwuchs) are composed of bacteria, microalgae, and protists in a polymer matrix found on the surfaces of all submerged objects. These communities develop as a result of autotrophic and heterotrophic microbial colonization and growth, reflecting their immediate environment. The EPA and state agencies have used periphyton assays as indicators of water quality. This project takes a more in-depth look at these communities to utilize the information contained beyond simply the algal component.
The main objective of this project is to validate microbial biofilms, their chemical composition, community structure, and biogeochemical activity, as indices of ecosystem integrity, resiliency and function.
A suite of biofilm analyses will be correlated to ambient water quality analyses, remote sensing data, and novel indicators to be developed by the other participants of the Consortium for Estuarine Ecoindicators Research (CEER).
Our working hypotheses are:
- Microbial biofilms, generated on artificial substrata, offer standardized source material for chemical and biological analysis to determine estuarine ecosystem condition.
- Biofilms are reflective of habitat-specific conditions and perturbations.
- Such indicators will be cost-effective, standardized, amenable to sophisticated yet accessible analytical technologies, and readily transferable to end-users.
| Microbial Ecology Investigators |
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Dr. Joe Eugene Lepo jlepo@uwf.edu
- Bacterial physiology, nitrogen cycling, QA/QC
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![[Dr. Richard Snyder]](../images/snyderr.jpg)
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Dr. Richard Snyder rsnyder@uwf.edu
- Estuarine ecology, population and community ecology
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![[Dr. Lita Proctor]](../images/proctorl.jpg) |
Dr. Lita Proctor lmproctor@usgs.gov
- Molecular microbial ecology, nitrogen cycling
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