Grants

All proposals focused on science, technology, and monitoring in the following disciplines from the RESTORE Act regulations (subpart H, section §34.704) shown below:

  1. Coastal and deltaic sustainability, restoration and protection, including solutions and technology that allow citizens to live in a safe and sustainable manner in a coastal delta in the Gulf Coast Region;
  2. Coastal fisheries and wildlife ecosystem research and monitoring in the Gulf Coast Region;
  3. Offshore energy development, including research and technology to improve the sustainable and safe development of energy resources in the Gulf of America;
  4. Sustainable and resilient growth, economic and commercial development in the Gulf of America; and
  5. Comprehensive observation, monitoring, and mapping of the Gulf of America.

The first round of funded projects focused on the effects of multiple stressors influenced by our changing climate as they affect the natural resources of the north central Gulf of America.

There were 10 projects awarded funding at a total of $4,332,663. The average funding for each project was $433,266.

graph of rrequest for proposals round one

Shoreline, Habitats and Sea Level Rise

  • Living Shorelines & Nature-based Barriers Sustainability with Sea Level Rise
    • Lead PI: Stephanie Patch, University of South Alabama
    • Co PIs: Eric Sparks, Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant and Mississippi State University; Sarah Wofford, Jacksonville State University
  • Impacts of Sea Level Rise on the Condition and Function of Tidal Freshwater Forested Wetlands of the Mobile-Tensaw Delta
    • Lead PI: Christopher Anderson, Auburn University
    • Co PIs: Ruth Carmichael, Dauphin Island Sea Lab; Latif Kalin, Auburn University
  • Impacts of Coastal Warming on Manatee Distributional Patterns and Habitat Use
    • Lead PI: Ruth Carmichael, Dauphin Island Sea Lab
    • Co PIs: Carl Cloyed, Dauphin Island Sea Lab; Nicole Phillips, University of Southern Mississippi; Brian Dzwonkowski, University of South Alabama; James Powell, Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute; Monica Ross, Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute

Oyster fisheries under a changing climate, specifically ocean acidification and warming

  • Changes in Quality and Quantity of Food Source
    • Lead PI: Jeff Krause, Dauphin Island Sea Lab
    • Co PIs: Alison Robertson, University of South Alabama; Kenneth Hoadley, University of Alabama
  • Changes in Oyster Growth, Survival, and Energetic Trade-offs
    • Lead PI: Kenneth Hoadley, University of Alabama
    • Co PIs: Lee Smee, Dauphin Island Sea Lab; Dustin Kemp, University of Alabama at Birmingham

Water quality/quantity

  • Citizen Science Project Using Domestic Well Owners to Collect Data to Understand Groundwater Quality
    • Lead PI: Ann Ojeda, Auburn University
    • Co PIs: Stephanie Rogers, Auburn University; Frances O’Donnell, Auburn University; John Beck, University of Alabama in Huntsville
    • Collaborators: Prabhakar Clement, University of Alabama; Eve Brantley, Auburn University
  • Impacts of Sea Level Rise on Aquifer Condition and Coastal Resilience
    • Lead PI: Yong Zhang, University of Alabama
    • Co PIs: Natasha Dimova, University of Alabama; Geoffrey Tick, University of Alabama; Erkan Nane, Auburn University
  • Modeling Ecosystem Health, Water Resources and Social Resilience Using a Holistic Platform that Integrates Multi-scale Observations, Machine Learning and Systems Modeling Using the Past 30 Years to Predict the Next 30 Years.
    • Lead PI: Shufan Pan à Zutao Yang, Auburn University
    • Co PIs: Wanyun Shao, University of Alabama; Hanqin Tian, Auburn University; Christopher Anderson, Auburn University
  • Physical Determinants of Hypoxia on the Alabama Shelf
    • Lead PI: Brian Dzwonkowski, University of South Alabama
    • Co PIs: John Lehrter, University of South Alabama; Di Tian, Auburn University

The second round of funded projects focused on emerging technologies in monitoring and data collection (AI, machine learning, drones, photogrammetry, automated data collection/transmission)

There were 8 projects awarded funding at a total of $1,152,445. The average funding for each project was $144,055.

graph of rrequest for proposals round two

Remote Sensing

  • Quantifying Water and Carbon Fluxes Over Terrestrial Ecosystems in the Mobile-Tensaw Delta
    • Lead PI: Gabriel deOliveira, University of South Alabama
  • Development and Application of High-resolution Satellite Remote Sensing Products to Monitor Plumes in Mobile Bay, Alabama
    • Lead PI: John Lehrter, University of South Alabama
  • Near Real-time Monitoring and Assessment of Environmental and Aquatic conditions for Alabama Coastal Fisheries and Aquaculture by Integrating Multi-Sensor Satellite Observations, Cloud-based Computing, and Machine-learning Models
    • Lead PI: Hongxing Liu, University of Alabama

Habitats

  • Oxygen Isotope Sclerochronology of Invasive Apple Snail (Pomacea insularum) in Coastal Alabama: Insights into Potential Range Expansion and Useful Vulnerabilities for Control
    • Lead PI: Fred Andrus, University of Alabama
  • High Resolution Remote Sensing for the Assessing the Status of Salt Marsh Ecosystems in the Northern Gulf of America
    • Lead PI: Thane Wibbels, University of Alabama at Birmingham

Fisheries

  • Using Genomic Sequencing to Test for Local Aaptation of a Critical Predator and Pest of Oysters (Crassostrea virginica)
    • Lead PI: Lee Smee, Dauphin Island Sea Lab
  • Emerging Image Analysis Techniques to Improve Trophic Ecology Studies in the Northern Gulf of America and Beyond: Development of an Online Otolith Identification Tool
    • Lead PI: Ronald Baker, University of South Alabama
  • Eavesdropping on Soundscapes: Advancing Fisheries and Habitat Monitoring Using Emerging Technologies
    • Lead PI: Charles W. Martin, University of South Alabama