Voss lab graduate students Ryan, Lexie, Ian, and Erin are attending the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography (ASLO) 2019 Aquatic Sciences Meeting this week in San Juan, Puerto Rico. They spent their Sunday exploring the island but are excited to begin the conference and present!

Come see our presentations at the following dates and times:

Session: Improving Coral Reef Resilience with Transformational Science
Tuesday afternoon, Exhibit Hall B, Poster 138
Combs I*, Studivan MS, Beal J, Voss JD. Characterizing the impacts of scleractinian tissue loss disease on corals in southeast Florida 

Tuesday afternoon, Exhibit Hall B, Poster 140
Shilling E*, Beal J, Voss JD. Implementing disease intervention strategies on corals in the southeast Florida Reef Tract and assessing their potential impact on mucus microbial communities

Session: Coral Reef Ecosystems
​Thursday afternoon, Exhibit Hall B, Poster 184
Eckert RJ*, Studivan MS, Voss JD. Populations of the coral species Montastraea cavernosa lack vertical connectivity on the Belize Barrier Reef
 
Friday at 16:45, Room 104
Sturm AB*, Méndez JG, Studivan MS, Eckert RJ, Chei E, Dodge DL, González Díaz SP, and Voss JD. Assessing population connectivity of the coral species, Montastraea cavernosa, across local and regional scales in Cuba and the Tropical Western Atlantic

We hope to see you all there!

The Indian River Lagoon Symposium is a collaborative effort that provides the opportunity for agencies, businesses, students, scientists, and the public to learn about current research in the Indian River Lagoon (IRL), as well as to improve public awareness of the IRL and its importance. The IRL Symposium is supported in part each year by the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute Foundation, who generously provided two fellowships to Voss Lab graduate students Ian Combs and Erin Shilling.

Erin presented her three-minute talk “Coral Disease Intervention Strategies and Coral Mucus Community Composition” where she discussed her upcoming research regarding corals in southeast Florida affected by Scleractinian Tissue Loss Disease and the methods being implemented to mitigate mortality from this disease. Ian presented his poster “Characterizing the Impacts of Scleractinian Tissue Loss Disease with 3D Photogrammetry”, describing his research to characterize progression rates of this disease using 3D photogrammetry on fate tracked coral colonies in southeast Florida. Both were awarded with Outstanding Student Presentation Awards at the end of the symposium, which will help support their future research efforts. Congratulations Ian and Erin!

The recording of presentations from the IRL Symposium can be found at this link.

Along with eight other FAU graduate students, Ian Combs and Erin Shilling were recognized as Indian River Lagoon Graduate Research Fellows at the eighth annual “Love Your Lagoon Gala” for their work involving the Indian River Lagoon. Ian and Erin’s work both involves Scleractinian Tissue Loss Disease which is affecting corals throughout southeast Florida. Ian’s master’s research involves characterizing the impacts of Scleractinian Tissue Loss Disease using 3D Photogrammetry, while Erin’s master’s research seeks to compare intervention strategies for diseased coral and their potential impacts on mucus microbial communities. Both Ian and Erin’s work involves corals throughout southeast Florida including at St. Lucie Reef, Florida’s northernmost coral reef which is located at the southern end of the Indian River Lagoon at the mouth of the St. Lucie Estuary.  ​