North Carolina Sea Grant Launches Nine New Research Projects
for North Carolina Sea Grant. Credit: Matt Smith.
Research teams across the state will soon begin work on North Carolina Sea Grant’s new core projects. Scientists are applying innovative approaches to coastal resilience, species and habitat preservation, changing ecosystem dynamics, community education, and more.
“We are excited about the interdisciplinary nature of these research efforts,” says Susan White, executive director of North Carolina Sea Grant. “These projects reach across multiple public and private partnerships that will positively impact NC’s coastal communities and ecosystems.”
The projects include lead researchers from NC State University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, East Carolina University, and the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Partners include the North Carolina Coastal Federation, North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Tier I county school systems, and the communities of Topsail Beach, Surf City, and North Topsail Beach.
NOAA funds these projects through the National Sea Grant College Program, along with matching funds from the state and the campuses leading the research. Pending federal appropriations, the following studies will begin soon:
Employing Proven Restoration Approaches to Recover and Expand Essential Seagrass Habitat in NC
Joel Fodrie, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, principal investigator
Evaluating the Influence of Sediment Microbial Community Composition and Salinity on Smooth Cordgrass (Sporabolus alterniflorus) Seedling Survival and Growth
Rachel Gittman, East Carolina University, principal investigator
Investigating Drivers and Processes of Soil Salinization and Saltwater Intrusion in Coastal Agricultural Communities of Eastern North Carolina
Alex Manda, East Carolina University, principal investigator
Understanding the Long-Term Effects of Community Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies on North Carolina Barrier Island Futures through Collaborative Science
Laura Moore, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, principal investigator
Building Resilience in Oyster Aquaculture in the Face of Recurring Mortality Events
Tal Ben-Horin, North Carolina State University, principal investigator
Estimating Natural Mortality and Recruitment for Reef Fish Species in the Southeast
Jeff Buckel, North Carolina State University, principal investigator
Estimating Predation Pressure on North Carolina Blue Crabs in a Changing Estuary
Janet Nye, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, principal investigator
Anthropogenic Impacts in Oysters of North Carolina: Metal and Microplastic Contamination
Stephen Skrabal, University of North Carolina Wilmington, principal investigator
Community READY: Building a More Resilient Coast through Education and Change led by Youth
Kathryn Stevenson, North Carolina State University, principal investigator
For project updates, follow North Carolina Sea Grant on X, Facebook, and Instagram and learn more about Sea Grant funding opportunities.
