Session Lead: Emily Brownlee (Saint Mary’s College of Maryland)
Co-Lead(s): Greg Silsbe (University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science), Catherine Wazniak (Maryland Department of Natural Resources)
Session Format: Oral presentations
Session Description:
In coastal and estuarine environments, the rapid turnover of phytoplankton is a function of both short division times and tightly coupled consumer-prey interactions. Phytoplankton in these dynamic environments are quick to respond to stochastic events, and at times community assemblages become dominated by so-called harmful algal blooms (HABs) that present significant risks to the economy and human health. Yet fundamental knowledge gaps in our understanding of phytoplankton and protist ecology remain, in part to the scarcity of routine monitoring. Consequently, advancements in the prediction, detection, and monitoring of phytoplankton in general and HAB events in particular continue to be high-priority objectives for state agencies and other stakeholders. This session aims to bring together researchers interested in phytoplankton dynamics in coastal and estuarine environments. We specifically invite research that span a range of approaches, including statistical and machine-learning, ecological and habitat modeling, and observational platforms including satellite remote sensing and high-throughput imaging systems.