Edward J. Phlips
(Ph.D., University of Miami, 1981)

Professor of Fisheries and Aquatic
Sciences

phlips@ufl.edu,

Shirley M. Baker
(Ph.D., College of William and Mary,
Virginia Institute of Marine Science, 1994)

Assistant Professor of Fisheries and
Aquatic Sciences

smbaker@mail.ifas.ufl.edu

Ecology and Productivity of Coastal Marine Ecosystems

Faculty and staff from the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences have ongoing research efforts related to the ecology and productivity of coastal marine ecosystems. The Whitney Laboratory provides an ideal combination of location and facilities to pursue research on coastal marine ecology. Coastal wetlands, estuaries, and intracoastal waterways are major elements of aquatic environments throughout Florida. They are also the sites of explosive population growth and human development.

We have three lines of research involving the Whitney Laboratory. One focuses on the impact of development on water quality in intracoastal environments of northeast Florida (Edward Phlips). The other two support the emerging shellfish industry on both coastlines of Florida (Shirley Baker).

Current Projects

Human activities in coastal watersheds have significant impact on the ecology of downstream ecosystems. Clams and oysters are directly affected by changes in the watershed. The success of the growing clam and oyster industries, as well as the health of natural populations of fish and invertebrates, hinges on maintaining a balance between nutrients that support productivity and excessive eutrophication.

A central objective of our research is to determine how nutrient inputs from coastal watersheds affect the structure, abundance and distribution of plankton in coastal environments occupied by clams and oysters. A second objective is to determine how variations in the plankton community impact the productivity and stability of these populations.

The focus of our second study is to develop an environmental information resource base addressing the needs of shellfish. The long-term goal of the Clam Lease Assessment, Management and Modeling Using Remote Sensing Project is to enhance the sustainable development of open-water clam farming in Florida by increasing production, farm efficiency and profitability. This goal will be met by adopting the use of precision technologies, including production models in the selection of sites for farming and in management of production on current and new lease sites.

In support of the hard clam aquaculture industry, the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences and the Cooperative Extension Service have collaborated to investigate the culture potential of two commercial bivalve species. An experimental molluscan shellfish hatchery was established at the Whitney Lab during the summer of 2001. Since then, adult blood ark clams (Anadara ovalis) and ponderous ark clams (Noetia ponderosa) have been collected from wild populations around the Whitney Lab and the Cedar Key area and held at the Whitney Lab. Adults were spawned, resulting in larvae that have been reared to the juvenile stage. Growout studies are currently underway at a clam farm at Cedar Key and one near the Whitney Lab.

We are continuing our cooperative effort with the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve (GTMNERR), The Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the St. Johns River Water Management District to establish water quality monitoring. The development of a baseline understanding of the biological, physical and chemical features of the GTMNERR environs is an essential part of describing the function of the ecosystem and its sensitivity to change. This data serves management in their decision making. The Whitney Laboratory is the logistical base for field operations on the east coast and the site for key elements of laboratory research.

For more information, visit Ed Phlips' and Shirley Baker's web pages at the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences:
http://fishweb.ifas.ufl.edu/Phlips/Phlips.htm
http://fishweb.ifas.ufl.edu/Baker/Baker.htm

Publications

Baker, S.M. and Jeffrey S. Levinton. (2003) Selective feeding by three native North American freshwater mussels implies food competition with zebra mussels. Hydrobiol. 506:97-105.

Phlips, E. J. (2002) Eutrophication and Algae. In: Encyclopedia of Environmental Microbiology. (Gabriel Bitton, Ed.) John Wiley & Sons Inc., New York.

Phlips, E.J., Badylak, S. and Grosskopf, T. (2002) Factors affecting the abundance of phytoplankton in a restricted subtropical lagoon, the Indian River Lagoon, Florida, USA. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 55: 385-402.

Phlips, E. J., M. Cichra, K. Havens, C. Hanlon, S. Badylak, B. Rueter, M. Randall and P. Hansen. (1997) The control of phytoplankton abundance and structure by nutrient and light availability in a shallow subtropical lake. Journal of Plankton Research 19: 319-342.

Phlips, E. J. and S. Badylak. (1996) Spatial distribution and composition of algal blooms in Florida Bay. Bulletin Marine Science 58(1): 203-216.

Phlips, E. J., T. C. Lynch and S. Badylak. (1995) Chlorophyll a, tripton, color and light availability in a shallow tropical inner shelf lagoon, Florida Bay. Marine Ecology Progress Series 127: 23-234.

Phlips, E. J., F. J. Aldridge and P. Hansen. (1995) Patterns of water chemistry, physical and biological parameters in a shallow subtropical lake (Lake Okeechobee, Florida). Arch. Hydrobiol. Beih. Ergebn. Limnol. 45: 117-135.

Baker, S.M., Heuberger, D., Phlips, E.J. and Sturmer, L.N. (2002) Water quality and its role on hard clam production. Cooperative Extension Services: University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.

Baker, S.M. and D.J. Hornbach. (2000) Physiological status and biochemical composition of a natural population of unionid mussels (Amblema plicata) infested by zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha). American Midland Naturalist 143: 443-452.

Baker, S.M., J.S. Levinton, J.P. Kurdziel, and S.E. Shumway. (1998) Selective feeding and biodeposition by zebra mussels and their relation to changes in phytoplankton composition and seston load. Journal of Shellfish Research 17: 1207-1213.

Baker, S.M. and D.J. Hornbach. (1997) Acute physiologial effects of zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha, infestation on two unionid mussels, Actinonaias ligamentina and Amblema plicata. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 54: 512-519.

Baker, S.M. and R. Mann. (1994) Feeding ability during settlement and metamorphosis in the oyster Crassostrea virginica and the effects of hypoxia on post-settlement ingestion rates. Journal of Experimental Biology and Ecology 181: 239-253.

Baker, S.M. and R. Mann. (1994) Description of metamorphic phases in the oyster Crassostrea virginica and effects of hypoxia on metamorphosis. Marine Ecology Progress Series 104: 91-99.

Baker, S.M. and R. Mann. (1992) Effects of hypoxia and anoxia on larval settlement, juvenile growth, and juvenile survival of the oyster Crassostrea virginica. Biological Bulletin 182:265-269.