Unified Interior Regions
Region 2: South Atlantic-Gulf (Includes Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands)
Regions L2 Landing Page Tabs
Joint Ecosystem Modeling: Greater Everglades Modeling Decision Support Tools
The Joint Ecosystem Modeling team is developing and applying ecological models and other decision support tools for Greater Everglades restoration project planning.
Optimal Control Strategies for Invasive Exotics in South Florida
The establishment and proliferation of exotic plants and animals can interfere with native ecological processes and can cause severe stress to sensitive ecosystems.
The Oysters of Chicopit: Status of the Oyster Population in Chicopit Bay before, during, and after the Construction of the Mile Point Project
Chicopit Bay, part of the Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve in Florida, is a small embayment at the intersection of San Pablo Creek (part of the Intercoastal Waterway) and the St. Johns River. Home to a number of small oyster beds, this area is now being dredged to help eliminate cross currents from the main shipping channel of the St. Johns. WARC researchers collect baseline...
Lionfish Distribution, Geographic Spread, Biology, and Ecology
Many aspects of lionfish biology are studied at the USGS Wetland and Aquatic Research Center. As part of the U.S. Geological Survey Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database, the distribution of lionfish is tracked over time.
Impacts of Non-Native Fishes in the Florida Everglades
The Florida Everglades is the largest wetland ecosystem in the United States and supports a diverse flora and fauna, including many rare species.
Gulf of Mexico Land Loss Change Assessment: A Cooperative Study with the Bureau of Ocean and Energy Management
Eighty-five percent of the coastal wetland loss in the contiguous United States occurs in the Gulf of Mexico. Documenting and understanding the occurrence of this wetland loss will provide for effective planning, mitigation, and restoration activities.
Advanced Technological Solutions in Support of Greater Everglades Priority Ecosystem Science: Joint Ecosystem Modeling (JEM)
The JEM Biological Database offers secure data storage in relational databases, as well as web applications to manage, search, analyze, and report on captured data.
Collaborative Development of Ecological Forecasting Model and Data Manipulation Software: Everglades National Park, South Florida Natural Resources Center (SFNRC)
The goal of the Advanced Applications Team’s partnership with SFNRC is to facilitate the use of scientific research findings in restoration and land management decisions.
Long-term Trends in Swamp Tree Growth across Drought and Salinity Gradients along the Northern Gulf Coast
This study will examine the potential effects of climate-change-induced sea level rise, drought and water extraction by examining tree growth patterns across the Gulf Coast, specifically targeting long-term research plots available in the North American Baldcypress Swamp Network (NABCSN) and the Suwannee River.
Mangroves vs. Salt Marshes: Mangrove Forest Range Expansion at the Expense of Salt Marshes
Winter climate change has the potential to have a large impact on coastal wetlands in the southeastern United States.
Baseline Aquatic Contamination and Endocrine Status in Resident Fish Populations of Biscayne National Park and in the Adjacent Coastal Environment
As part of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, water managers are planning to use treated wastewater from the South District Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) to supplement the canal waters that will be used to rehydrate wetlands adjacent to the Biscayne National Park (Park).
Population Demography and Food Web Analysis of Large Aquatic Salamanders (Siren and Amphiuma) in North Florida
Understanding amphibian's life-histories can help predict how they may persist in aquatic habitats in the face of droughts and other climate change-associated events.
Editorial: Contributions of behavior and physiology to conservation biology
Conservation biology is a rapidly evolving discipline, with its synthetic, multidisciplinary framework expanding extensively in recent years. Seemingly disparate disciplines, such as behavior and physiology, are being integrated into this discipline's growing portfolio, resulting in diverse tools that can help develop conservation solutions....
Gabor, Caitlin R; Walls, Susan C. Local sea level rise information sheets for Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida
Two Pagers for Federally Managed Lands The Northern Gulf of Mexico Sentinel Site Cooperative partnered with individuals at the U.S. Geological Survey’s Wetland and Aquatic Research Center and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to produce customized two-pager information sheets for federal coastal refuges, parks, and reserves across the northern...
Chivoiu, Bogdan; Osland, Michael J.; Collini, Renee C.; Sara Martin; Tirpak, John M.; Wilson, Benjamin Submarine canyons influence macrofaunal diversity and density patterns in the deep-sea benthos
Submarine canyons are often morphologically complex features in the deep sea contributing to habitat heterogeneity. In addition, they act as major conduits of organic matter from the shallow productive shelf to the food deprived deep-sea, promoting gradients in food resources and areas of sediment resuspension and deposition. This study focuses on...
Robertson, Craig M.; Demopoulos, Amanda; Bourque, Jill; Mienis, Furu; Duineveld, Gerard; Lavaleye, Mark; Koivisto, R.; Brooke, S.; Ross, S.; Rhode, M.; Davies, A. GoMAMN Strategic Bird Monitoring Guidelines: Landbirds
Landbirds in the Gulf of Mexico region include an ecologically diverse group of taxa that depend on a wide range of terrestrial habitats and the airspace above them. For the GoMAMN region of the Gulf of Mexico, the Landbird Working Group identified 19 species from 12 families as priorities for monitoring (Table 3.1). In addition, all species that...
Zenzal, Theodore J.; Vermillion, William G.; Ferrato, Jacqueline R.; Randall, Lori A.; Dobbs, Robert Christopher; Baldwin, Heather Carbon stock trends of baldcypress knees along climate gradients of the Mississippi River Alluvial Valley using allometric methods
Carbon stock trends of the knees of Taxodium distichum likely vary across climate gradients of the southeastern United States and contribute an unknown quantity of “teal” carbon to inland freshwater wetlands. Knee metrics (e.g., density, height, biomass) were measured in mixed T. distichum swamps across the Mississippi River Alluvial Valley (MRAV...
Middleton, Beth A. Mixed organic and inorganic tapwater exposures and potential effects in greater Chicago area, USA
Safe drinking water at the point of use (tapwater, TW) is a public-health priority. TW exposures and potential human-health concerns of 540 organics and 35 inorganics were assessed in 45 Chicago area United States (US) homes in 2017. No US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) enforceable Maximum Contaminant Level(s) (MCL) were exceeded in any...
Bradley, Paul; Argos, Maria; Kolpin, Dana W.; Meppelink, Shannon M.; Romanok, Kristin; Smalling, Kelly; Focazio, Michael J.; Allen, Joshua M.; Dietze, Julie E.; Devito, Michael J.; Donovan, Ariel; Evans, Nicola; Givens, Carrie E.; Gray, James L.; Higgins, Christopher P.; Hladik, Michelle; Iwanowicz, Luke; Journey, Celeste A.; Lane, Rachael; Laughrey, Zachary; Loftin, Keith A.; McCleskey, R. Blaine; McDonough, Carrie A.; Medlock Kakaley, Elizabeth K; Meyer, Michael T.; Holthouse-Putz, Andrea; Richardson, Susan D; Stark, Alan ; Weis, Christopher P.; Wilson, Vickie S.; Zehraoui, Abderrahman Category count models for adaptive management of metapopulations: Case study of an imperiled salamander
Managing spatially structured populations of imperiled species presents many challenges. Spatial structure can make it difficult to predict population responses to potential recovery activities, and learning through experimentation may not be advised if it could harm threatened populations. Adaptive management provides an appealing framework when...
O'Donnell, Katherine; Fackler, Paul L.; Johnson, Fred A.; Bonneau, Mathieu; Martin, Julien; Walls, Susan C. Increasing rates of carbon burial in southwest Florida coastal wetlands
Rates of organic carbon (OC) burial in some coastal wetlands appear to be greater in recent years than they were in the past. Possible explanations include ongoing mineralization of older OC or the influence of an unaccounted‐for artefact of the methods used to measure burial rates. Alternatively, the trend may represent real acceleration in OC...
Breithaupt, Joshua L.; Smoak, Joseph M.; Bianchi, Thomas S.; Vaughn, Derrick; Sanders, Christian; Radabaugh, Kara; Osland, Michael J.; Feher, Laura C.; Lynch, James C.; Cahoon, Donald R.; Anderson, Gordon H.; Whelan, Kevin R. T.; Rosenheim, Brad E.; Moyer, Ryan P.; Chambers, Lisa
Simulation of water-management scenarios for the Mississippi Delta
To compare the effectiveness of proposed alternative water-supply scenarios on future water availability in the Mississippi Delta, the U.S. Geological Survey and the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality are collaborating on the update and enhancement of an existing regional groundwater-flow model of the area. Through this collaboration...
Haugh, Connor J.; Killian, Courtney D.; Barlow, Jeannie R. B. Modeling soil porewater salinity response to drought in tidal freshwater forested wetlands
There is a growing concern about the adverse effects of saltwater intrusion via tidal rivers, streams and creeks into tidal freshwater forested wetlands (TFFW) due to sea‐level rise (SLR) and intense and extended drought events. However, the magnitude and duration of porewater salinity in exceedance of plant salinity stress threshold (2 practical...
Wang, Hongqing; Krauss, Ken W.; Noe, Gregory B.; Stagg, Camille L.; Swarzenski, Christopher M.; Duberstein, Jamie A.; Conner, William H.; DeAngelis, Donald L. Final project memorandum: Identifying conservation objectives for the Gulf Coast habitats of the black skimmer and gull-billed tern
Many shorebirds and nearshore waterbirds are of conservation concern across the Gulf of Mexico due to stressors such as human disturbance, predation, and habitat loss and degradation. Conservation and protection of these birds is important for the functioning of healthy ecosystems and for maintaining biodiversity in North America. Consequently,...
Cronin, James P. Expert bioblitzes facilitate non-native fish tracking and interagency partnerships
Documenting the distribution and composition of non-native species populations can be challenging, especially when species cross jurisdictional boundaries that require interagency coordination. Herein I report the development of three tools that have been used in Florida over the past seven years to assist with tracking of non-native fishes: 1) an...
Schofield, Pamela J.
USGS Hydrologic Investigation of West Africa's Congo River (part 3)
USGS South Carolina Water Science Center Data Chief, John Shelton in a special hydrologic expedition down the Congo River, West Africa. Part three of the three part episode, reveals a hydrologic data set that changed the world record books.
Mangrove forest, Shark River Slough, Everglades National Park
Tangled web of prop roots from red mangrove trees, intermixed with black mangroves and white mangroves farther back in the forest. Mangrove forests cover much of the southwestern coastal region of Everglades National Park. The red mangroves are the most salinity tolerant and grow with their prop roots in the water or within the range of high tide.
Spring water is usually clear and cool, which attracts swimmers.
Rainbow Springs, Florida, USA
A spring is a water resource formed when the side of a hill, a valley bottom or other excavation intersects a flowing body of groundwater at or below the local water table, below which the subsurface material is saturated with water. A spring is the result of an aquifer being filled to the point that the water overflows
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Groundwater Awareness Week is March 6-12
Groundwater is not a single vast pool of underground water; rather, it is contained within a variety of aquifer systems. Each of these aquifers has its own set of questions and challenges. From large drawdowns in the Great Plains aquifer to arsenic in some wells in New England, this episode of CoreCast highlights six different USGS groundwater studies all across the United
Bleaching colony of symmetrical brain coral, Diploria strigosa
Bleaching colony of symmetrical brain coral, Diploria strigosa, Florida Keys. When corals are stressed, the symbiosis between the coral animal and its photosynthetic algal symbionts (zooxanthellae) breaks down and the zooxanthellae are expelled from the coral tissue. The zooxanthellae’s photosynthetic pigments contribute much of the color we see in corals, so when
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Bleaching colony of lobed star coral, Montastraea annularis
Bleaching colony of lobed star coral, Montastraea annularis, Florida Keys. When corals are stressed, the symbiosis between the coral animal and its photosynthetic algal symbionts (zooxanthellae) breaks down and the zooxanthellae are expelled from the coral tissue. The zooxanthellae’s photosynthetic pigments contribute much of the color we see in corals, so when
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Bleaching colony of great star coral, Montastraea cavernosa
Bleaching colony of great star coral, Montastraea cavernosa, Florida Keys. When corals are stressed, the symbiosis between the coral animal and its photosynthetic algal symbionts (zooxanthellae) breaks down and the zooxanthellae are expelled from the coral tissue. The zooxanthellae’s photosynthetic pigments contribute much of the color we see in corals, so when
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Bleaching colony of great star coral, Montastraea cavernosa
Bleaching colony of great star coral, Montastraea cavernosa, with polyps extended, Florida Keys. When corals are stressed, the symbiosis between the coral animal and its photosynthetic algal symbionts (zooxanthellae) breaks down and the zooxanthellae are expelled from the coral tissue. The zooxanthellae’s photosynthetic pigments contribute much of the color we see
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Bleaching colonies of mountainous star coral, Montastraea faveolata
Bleaching colonies of mountainous star coral, Montastraea faveolata, Florida Keys. When corals are stressed, the symbiosis between the coral animal and its photosynthetic algal symbionts (zooxanthellae) breaks down and the zooxanthellae are expelled from the coral tissue. The zooxanthellae’s photosynthetic pigments contribute much of the color we see in corals, so
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Bleaching colonies of mustard hill coral, Porites astreoides
Bleaching colonies of mustard hill coral, Porites astreoides, both green and brown color morphs, Florida Keys. When corals are stressed, the symbiosis between the coral animal and its photosynthetic algal symbionts (zooxanthellae) breaks down and the zooxanthellae are expelled from the coral tissue. The zooxanthellae’s photosynthetic pigments contribute much of
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Bleaching colony of mustard hill coral, Porites astreoides
Bleaching colony of mustard hill coral, Porites astreoides, Florida Keys. When corals are stressed, the symbiosis between the coral animal and its photosynthetic algal symbionts (zooxanthellae) breaks down and the zooxanthellae are expelled from the coral tissue. The zooxanthellae’s photosynthetic pigments contribute much of the color we see in corals, so when the
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In a cooperative research program, the USGS, NASA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) are using airborne laser mapping systems to quantify coastal change along the entire coastline affected by Hurricane Katrina.
In a cooperative research program, the USGS, NASA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) are using airborne laser mapping systems to quantify coastal change along the entire coastline affected by Hurricane Katrina (http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/hurricanes/katrina/).
U.S. Geological Survey scientists report that preliminary analysis of satellite data indicate Hurricane Katrina caused substantial marsh loss in St. Bernard and Plaquemines parishes.
The USGS is releasing today a 25-minute videotape of footage showing coastal impacts resulting from Hurricane Katrina along the coastline of the northern Gulf of Mexico.
The USGS is releasing today a 25-minute videotape of footage showing coastal impacts resulting from Hurricane Katrina along the coastline of the northern Gulf of Mexico.
The USGS has posted aerial photos from the northern Gulf of Mexico coastline showing before and after conditions in response to Hurricane Katrina. The photos show five photo pairs of the Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana, and three photo pairs of Dauphin Island, Alabama. A set of ‘quick response’ photos from Bay St. Louis to Biloxi, Mississippi are also posted.
The USGS has posted aerial photos from the northern Gulf of Mexico coastline showing before and after conditions in response to Hurricane Katrina. The photos show five photo pairs of the Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana, and three photo pairs of Dauphin Island, Alabama. A set of ‘quick response’ photos from Bay St. Louis to Biloxi, Mississippi are also posted.
"The past several days have seen remarkable devastation resulting from Hurricane Katrina. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone who has been affected by this disaster," said USGS Acting Director Pat Leahy. "In the aftermath of Katrina, USGS research on hurricanes and natural hazards is no longer just a scientific endeavor – it is a matter of public safety."
Did you know that from your desk you can monitor the effect of Hurricane Katrina as it moves inland? The U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) WaterWatch Web site can show you what’s happening to streams in your local area and show you the places most affected by heavy rains expected from this storm.
Did you know that from your desk you can monitor the effect of Hurricane Katrina as it moves inland? The U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) WaterWatch Web site can show you what’s happening to streams in your local area and show you the places most affected by heavy rains expected from this storm.
Did you know that from your desk you can monitor the effect of Hurricane Katrina on Florida’s waterways? The U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) WaterWatch Web site can show you what’s happening to streams in your local area and show you the places most affected by heavy rains expected from the storm.
Did you know that from your desk you can monitor the effect of Hurricane Katrina on Florida’s waterways? The U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) WaterWatch Web site can show you what’s happening to streams in your local area and show you the places most affected by heavy rains expected from the storm.
Follow Region 2 activities on social media, get contact information for Region 2 USGS centers, and meet Region 2's staff and center directors.
Contacts
Locations
Wetland and Aquatic Research Center - Gainesville, FL
Phone: 352-378-8181
Fax: 352-378-4956
Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center - Nashville, TN Office
GS-W-TNnsh Webmaster@usgs.gov
Phone: (615) 837-4700
Fax: (615) 837-4799
Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center - Montgomery, AL Office
Phone: (334) 395-4131
Fax: (334) 395-4168
Caribbean-Florida Water Science Center - Puerto Rico Office
Phone: (787) 749-7400
Fax: (787) 749-7401
South Atlantic Water Science Center - Raleigh, NC Office
Phone: (919) 571-4000
Fax: (919) 571-4041
South Atlantic Water Science Center - Columbia, SC Office
Phone: (803) 750-6100
Fax: (803) 750-6181
South Atlantic Water Science Center - Norcross, GA Office
Phone: (678) 924-6700
Fax: (678) 924-6710
Caribbean-Florida Water Science Center - Lutz, FL Office
Phone: (813) 498-5000
Fax: (813) 498-5002
St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
Phone: (727) 502-8000
Fax: (727) 502-8181
Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Center
South Atlantic Water Science Center - Tifton, GA Field Office
Phone: 229-382-6353
South Atlantic Water Science Center - Charleston, SC Field Office
Phone: 843-670-6275
Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center - Memphis, TN Office
Phone: 901-678-7287
Fax: 901-678-7300
Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center - Knoxville, TN Office
rbrendli@usgs.gov
Phone: 865-862-2029
Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center - Tuscaloosa, AL Office
Phone: 205-348-0950
Caribbean-Florida Water Science Center - Fort Myers, FL Field Office
Phone: (239) 275-8448
Fax: (239) 275-6820
Caribbean Florida Water Science Center - Tallahassee, FL Field Office
Phone: (850) 553-3640
Fax: (805) 553-3641
Caribbean-Florida Water Science Center - Orlando, FL Field Office
Phone: (407) 803-5500
Fax: (407) 803-5501
Caribbean-Florida Water Science Center - Davie, FL Field Office
Phone: (954) 377-5900
Fax: (954) 377-5901
Wetland and Aquatic Research Center - St. John, USVI
South Atlantic Water Science Center - Asheville, NC Field Office
Phone: (828) 684-5905
South Atlantic Water Science Center - Savannah, GA Field Office
Phone: (843) 784-5005
South Atlantic Water Science Center - Charlotte, NC Field Office
Phone: (704) 344-6272
Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center (NOROCK) Southern Appalachian Duty Station
Phone: 865-974-4790
Fax: 865-974-3555
