Chemical & Physical Ecology Program
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| L. Kellie Dixon, Ph.D. Senior Scientist, Program Manager |
| The Chemical & Physical Ecology Program includes a NELAC-approved water quality laboratory and conducts research and provides water quality monitoring services throughout Florida. (NELAC is a national accrediting body that certifies laboratory quality and standards. This certification validates all of the water quality laboratory's measurements.) The Program conducts monthly water quality sampling for Sarasota County, participates in the national EcoHAB program and provides analytical support for many other programs at Mote. EcoHAB is the Ecology and Oceanography of Harmful Algal Blooms Research Program — a multi-agency partnership between NOAA's Center for Sponsored Coastal Ocean Research (CSCOR-lead), NOAA Office of Protected Resources, NOAA Sea Grant, the National Science Foundation, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Office of Naval Research. The Chemical & Physical Ecology Program also conducts studies on optical brighteners contained in laundry detergents, leading to the development of a new tool for examining seepage from septic tanks into local water bodies. The program has also been extensively involved in research to define the relationships between seagrass health and light-reducing factors such as chlorophyll, color, epiphytes and dissolved organic matter. |
| Optical Brighteners When ultraviolet sunlight hits dye left in your clothes from washing, the dyes absorb the light but give off even more in a process called fluorescence. Because dyes are associated exclusively with human sources, they provide a reliable method of detecting water pollution caused by septic tanks and wastewater treatment plants. Earlier markers could be influenced by natural sources, masking the effect of pollution. The Chemical & Physical Ecology Program has developed an instrument that measures dyes in fresh or salt waters. Mote has applied for a patent and is working with manufacturers to bring this device to market. This device proves human wastes are present, better than any known method, and it can also be adapted to detect oil and dispersants in seawater. |
| Seagrasses Light is a key component for the growth of healthy seagrass beds and can be affected by things like water clarity and the growth of epiphytes (plants that grow on other plants — in this case, algae that grows on seagrass). The Chemical & Physical Ecology Program has developed new mathematical models that account for the amount and spectral quality (colors) of underwater light in estuaries. These models help predict what water quality changes are needed to allow seagrasses to regrow at depth — information that is in great demand by resource managers seeking to understand how best to restore seagrasses. |
| Red Tide Working in close coordination with other Mote programs, Chemical Ecology continues to focus on studies of Karenia brevis, the organism that causes Florida's red tides. Studies specifically include looking at the role that nutrients play in the formation and dissipation of blooms, as well as the role they play in sustaining blooms once they form. Program studies have found that K. brevis loves urea, a component of many fertilizers. The group has also found that nutrients in sediment at the bottom of estuaries or the Gulf release enough nutrients to meet 100 percent of red tide’s initial requirements. |
About Us
Mote Marine Laboratory has been a leader in marine research since it was founded in 1955. Today, we incorporate public outreach as a key part of our mission. Mote is an independent nonprofit organization and has seven centers for marine research, the public Mote Aquarium and an Education Division specializing in public programs for all ages.
