Ilsa B Kuffner, Ph.D.
Ilsa Kuffner is a Research Marine Biologist at the St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center in St. Petersburg, Florida.
As a research marine biologist for the Coastal and Marine Geology Program, I investigate the causes and effects of coral reef degradation. I explore local- to global-scale stressors on reefs, and experimentally determine how environmental variables such as sea-surface temperature, water quality, seawater chemistry, nuisance macroalgae, and ocean acidification affect coral growth, the community structure of reefs, and the process of reef building. My work informs resource managers about the mechanisms causing reef degradation and how management efforts may be improved to protect and restore degraded reefs. Please visit the USGS Coral Reef Ecosystems Studies (CREST) website for more information (see link below).
Professional Experience
Research Marine Biologist, US Geological Survey, St. Petersburg Coastal & Marine Geology Science Center, 2002 to present
Faculty, School for Field Studies, Center for Marine Resource Studies, Turks & Caicos Islands, 2001 to 2002
Director, Forfar Field Station, Andros Island, Bahamas, 2000 to 2001
Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Guam Marine Laboratory, Post-doc advisor: Valerie J. Paul, 1999 to 2000
Education and Certifications
Doctor of Philosophy, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Department of Zoology, Ph.D. Chair: Paul L. Jokiel, 1999
Bachelor of Arts, University of New Hampshire, Department of Zoology, Minor: Marine Biology, 1993
Science and Products
St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center coral reef research
Coral calcification in a changing ocean
Biological community structure on patch reefs in Biscayne National Park, FL, USA
Net Loss of CaCO3 from a subtropical calcifying community due to seawater acidification: Mesocosm-scale experimental evidence
Reef communities in the Dry Tortugas (Florida, USA): Baseline surveys for the new no-take area
U.S. Geological Survey Science Support Strategy for Biscayne National Park and Surrounding Areas in Southeastern Florida
Ocean acidification and calcifying reef organisms: A mesocosm investigation
Decreased abundance of crustose coralline algae due to ocean acidification
Ecology of coral reefs in the US Virgin Islands
Biological communities and geomorphology of patch reefs in Biscayne National Park, Florida, U.S.A.
Relationships between reef fish communities and remotely sensed rugosity measurements in Biscayne National Park, Florida, USA
Inhibition of coral recruitment by macroalgae and cyanobacteria
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Science and Products
St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center coral reef research
Coral calcification in a changing ocean
Biological community structure on patch reefs in Biscayne National Park, FL, USA
Net Loss of CaCO3 from a subtropical calcifying community due to seawater acidification: Mesocosm-scale experimental evidence
Reef communities in the Dry Tortugas (Florida, USA): Baseline surveys for the new no-take area
U.S. Geological Survey Science Support Strategy for Biscayne National Park and Surrounding Areas in Southeastern Florida
Ocean acidification and calcifying reef organisms: A mesocosm investigation
Decreased abundance of crustose coralline algae due to ocean acidification
Ecology of coral reefs in the US Virgin Islands
Biological communities and geomorphology of patch reefs in Biscayne National Park, Florida, U.S.A.
Relationships between reef fish communities and remotely sensed rugosity measurements in Biscayne National Park, Florida, USA
Inhibition of coral recruitment by macroalgae and cyanobacteria
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.