Connectivity Between Deep and Shallow Ecosystems: Ecosystem-Based Management of New Shelf Edge MPAs
Sponsor: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Collaborators
North Carolina State University: Jeffrey Buckel, David Eggleston, Daniel Kamykowski
Eastern Carolina University: D. Kimmel
National Marine Fishery Service / National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: A. David, A. Hohn, C. Taylor, T. Kellison, E. Williams
Funding Period
July 2009 – June 2012
Description
This CIOERT project addresses NOAA’s OER mission to explore and research living marine resources of the eastern U.S. continental shelf from 40-300m. The overall goal is to support Ecosystem-Based Management (EBM) by using, developing. and applying conceptual and mathematical models to data collected during CIOERT and NOAA partner expeditions, to describe and predict impacts of EBM approaches. Our approach will use metapopulation and EBM conceptual frameworks, and predictions from coupled bio-physical and ecosystem numerical models as guides for hypothesis testing. Sampling will use current and emerging undersea survey technologies that are integrated with habitat-mapping, both seafloor and pelagic sampling, and bio-physical modeling efforts that rely on data collected by the CIOERT mesophotic coral team, collected by our team as necessary, and collected by other NOAA field programs (e.g., NMFS/Beaufort, Spawning aggregation cruises).
