Marine and Environmental Sciences News

Dr. Kelly Dorgan, an associate professor of marine science at the University of South Alabama, studies worms and their impact on marine sediment.

The 'Important, Poorly Understood' Worm
November 18, 2020

Dr. Kelly Dorgan studies worms and marine sediment, creatively piecing together what she calls the 'puzzle of science.' ...

University of South Alabama Arts and Sciences faculty members were recognized for their achievements at the 39th Annual Dean’s Lecture and Faculty Awards Ceremony, including, clockwise from top left, Dr. Joseph Currier, Dr. Krista Mehari, Dr. Amy Sprinkle, Dr. Robert Holm, Joel Borden, Mischa Armstrong, Kristy Britt, Dr. David Durant and Dr. Alexandra Stenson.

College of Arts and Sciences Recognizes Outstanding Faculty
November 10, 2020

Nine faculty members are recognized for their achievements during the 39th Annual Dean's Lecture and Faculty Awards. ...

USA associate professor Dr. Brian Dzwonkowski and his team at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab explore how multiple severe weather events affect storm intensification near landfall.

Following Hurricanes, Gulf in Hot Water
October 5, 2020

A USA oceanographer says severe weather events can fuel marine heatwaves, impacting the intensity of subsequent tropical storms. ...

Dr. Brandi Reese will serve as an associate professor in the department of marine sciences and as senior marine scientist at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab.

Deep Beneath the Deep Blue Sea
September 8, 2020

Department of Marine Sciences newest faculty member Dr. Brandi Reese's cutting edge research explores life below the ocean floor. ...

Internal Grants Awarded for Galapagos Research
December 9, 2019

Seven faculty were awarded $3,000 travel grants to establish collaborations and do preliminary work on their projects. ...

Dr. John Lehrter, associate professor of marine sciences, and Ph.D. student Mai Fung will take part in a study to determine how oyster, blue crab and speckled trout respond to changes in their environment. “We’re looking at how do we manage the ecosystem both from the bottom up – water quality and habitat quality – and top down – fisheries management,” Lehrter said.

Assessing the Health of Mobile Bay
October 22, 2019

USA receives $2.9 million to study how oysters, blue crab and speckled trout provide answers to environmental questions. ...

Galapagos sea lions resting in Galapagos National Park.

South Signs Galapagos Agreement
August 29, 2019

An affiliation with the Galapagos Science Center will create faculty and student research opportunities on the archipelago. ...

Thomas “Reid” Nelson credits South’s Ph.D. program in marine sciences with having the resources and range of expertise in faculty to support his research interests and education. He works in a National Marine Fisheries Service lab with other scientists from UC Santa Cruz.

#MyFirstJob: Thomas 'Reid' Nelson
July 22, 2019

In a lab along the California coast, Reid Nelson researches ways to improve survival rates of juvenile salmon migrating to sea. ...

Dr. Ken Heck, professor emeritus, and Alex Rodriguez, a technician in Heck's lab, look at seagrass samples from near Port St. Joe, Fla., as part of their research to find ways for replenishing the grasses.

Protecting the Gulf's Underwater Nurseries
May 31, 2019

Propellers, hurricanes and even sea turtles pose a threat to Gulf of Mexico seagrass. South researchers aim to reverse its decline. ...

Jessica Gwinn, a Ph.D. student at South, samples herbivorous fish and algae on a rig south of Dauphin Island in July 2018. Gwinn's work was part of an international research project of ciguatera lead by the University of South Alabama.

No Taste, No Smell and No Effective Treatment
January 25, 2019

A USA marine scientist is leading an international research study of ciguatera, the world's most prevalent seafood-toxin illness. ...

Meredith Diskin, a doctoral student in USA's marine sciences program, tethers shrimp to fishing line and puts them out in the mangroves for her research on the interactions of predators and their prey and how they differ in ecosystems such as salt marshes and mangroves.

Fulfilling a Lifelong Dream in Marine Biology
September 17, 2018

Ph.D. student Meredith Diskin spent her summer on a fellowship at the Smithsonian Marine Station in Florida. ...

Dr. Sean Powers, right, chair of marine sciences at the University of South Alabama, is part of a $12 million independent study that includes 21 scientists from 12 institutions who will seek to determine how many red snapper live in the Gulf of Mexico.

New Count for Gulf Red Snapper
January 4, 2018

USA's Dr. Sean Powers is part of a $12 million independent study that could affect hotly debated fishing regulations. ...

Dr. Andrea Kroetz with a smalltooth sawfish, a species whose population has declined as a result of fishing mortality. The fish is found today mainly in south Florida and the Bahamas. Photo courtesy NOAA Fisheries Service. Homepage photo courtesy Desirée Gardner Photography.

Making a Dent in One Species' Recovery
November 3, 2017

With the smalltooth sawfish's numbers shrinking, South graduate Dr. Andrea Kroetz gets to witness several pups enter life. ...

Gastric lavage, a non-lethal technique, is used to gather the remains of birds and other food from captured tiger sharks. From left are Cody Eggenberger, former intern in the USA Fisheries Ecology Lab; Mariah Livernois, incoming USA graduate student; and Dr. Marcus Drymon, USA research assistant professor. Photo by David Hay Jones.

Want to Know What This Shark Eats?
May 27, 2016

The tiger shark's off-the-menu pick is revealed when USA shark experts are featured in a National Geographic program. ...

University graduate student Amanda Jefferson helps tag one of the 750 red snapper released by the Dauphin Island Sea Lab into northern Gulf of Mexico waters as part of a marine sciences project to estimate the recreational mortality of the popular sport fish. Photo by David Hay Jones

Go Fishing, Earn Cash, Support Research
April 29, 2016

Anglers who catch a red snapper with a yellow tag can earn up to $500 and help researchers study fishing mortality. ...

Dr. Marcus Drymon holds SouthJaw for tagging about 20 miles south of Ft. Morgan, Ala., on Aug. 11, 2015.

Follow SouthJaw in the Gulf of Mexico
February 15, 2016

Track the USA-tagged tiger shark's movements — 300 miles and counting — or chat with him on Twitter. ...

Marine Sciences News Archive

The 'Important, Poorly Understood' Worm November 18, 2020

College of Arts and Sciences Recognizes Outstanding Faculty November 10, 2020

Following Hurricanes, Gulf in Hot Water October 5, 2020

Deep Beneath the Deep Blue Sea September 8, 2020

Internal Grants Awarded for Galapagos Research December 9, 2019

Assessing the Health of Mobile Bay October 22, 2019

South Signs Galapagos Agreement August 29, 2019

#MyFirstJob: Thomas 'Reid' Nelson July 22, 2019

Protecting the Gulf's Underwater Nurseries May 31, 2019

No Taste, No Smell and No Effective Treatment January 25, 2019

Fulfilling a Lifelong Dream in Marine Biology September 17, 2018

New Count for Gulf Red Snapper January 4, 2018

Making a Dent in One Species' Recovery November 3, 2017

Want to Know What This Shark Eats? May 27, 2016

Go Fishing, Earn Cash, Support Research April 29, 2016

Follow SouthJaw in the Gulf of Mexico February 15, 2016