THE WA TER SCHOOL AT FGCU

DIVING DEEP FGCU launches holistic approach to solving water woes

SPECIAL ISSUE / SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WATER 1 SPECIAL SECTION WE ARE NOT SEPARATED BY LAND; WE ARE ALL CONNECTED BY WATER . —Polynesian saying

2 SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WATER / SPECIAL ISSUE Water, water everywhere … and many mysteries to solve BY KEVIN LOLLAR

lorida is a wonderfully wet With two decades of marine research into world, a fuid and dynamic the region’s most important water issues, habitat for a dazzling variety FGCU is uniquely qualifed to tackle the of plants and animals – problems that now face Southwest Florida, including humans – all the state and other regions when it comes Fconnected to and dependent on water. to water. For that reason, it has formed Te From the eastern end of FGCU’s Water School at FGCU (see story on page 11) service area – Charlotte, Collier, Glades, and entered into a partnership with Mote Hendry and Lee counties – with the Marine Laboratory (see page 10) to combat 730-square-mile Lake Okeechobee, to the harmful algal blooms as well as protect this Gulf of Mexico, Florida has hundreds of important resource. miles of rivers and creeks, thousands of square miles of wetlands, more than 1,000 TOXIC ALGAE BLOOMS square miles of estuaries and more than Over the past year, nutrients from 100 miles of coastline. agriculture and residential areas that fow Water drives the region’s economy as into Lake Okeechobee have been released locals and visitors play on the white beaches down the Caloosahatchee River, which of the barrier islands, paddle kayaks and receives even more nutrients from the canoes on inland creeks, hike through rest of its watershed, and these nutrients wetlands, fsh estuaries, dive and fsh wrecks, created a toxic blue-green algal bloom that ledges and artifcial reefs in the Gulf. Mike Savarese, professor of marine science, In Lee County alone, 5 million tourists picturesquely calls “Okeechobee guacamole.” a year add $3 billion to the economy, and Te blue-green algal bloom turned they come for the water; one study shows water fuorescent green, killed fsh, that Lee County’s artifcial reefs generate caused beach closures, and put a major more than $100 million, another shows hit on area tourism. that fshing for a single species – tarpon – Even as the blue-green algal bloom kicks in another $100 million. turned the Caloosahatchee to toxic “Tere’s passion about water in this guacamole, a severe red tide ravaged area,” says Greg Tolley, chairman of Southwest Florida’s coast and estuaries. FGCU’s Department of Marine and Red tide is a saltwater phenomenon Ecological Sciences and leader of Te Water caused by a single-celled alga called School at FGCU (see story page 11). “People Karenia brevis, which produces a powerful move here for the water, for the fshing, for neurotoxin, known as brevetoxin. beaching, for birding, for boating, all those Under normal conditions, Karenia kinds of things.” populations are 1,000 cells or fewer per But all is not well with Southwest liter of seawater, and no harm is done. Florida’s water; red tide in the Gulf of Sometimes, however, for reasons that are Mexico and estuaries, blue-green algae in not well understood, Karenia populations the Caloosahatchee River, loss of sea grasses bloom, and concentrations can exceed 100 and oyster reefs, too much salinity during million cells per liter. Te excess toxin in parts of the year and too little during other the water renders flter-feeding mollusks parts of the year, and the environmental poisonous, kills wildlife and causes

SHUTTERSTOCK Damoclean sword of climate change. respiratory irritation in humans.

SPECIAL ISSUE / SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WATER 3 The commitment is inherent in Te recent red tide, which started in HUMAN HEALTH THREATS our name. We’re November 2017, extended from Tampa Severe algal blooms don’t just harm Florida Gulf Bay to Collier County, killing millions of Florida’s economy. Researchers have Coast University. fsh as well as hundreds of sea birds, sea shown that red tides can land people with What more can turtles, bottlenose dolphins and manatees. asthma or other chronic lung diseases in you say? That’s FGCU researchers were active during emergency rooms and cyanotoxins in blue- what we have a the red tide, taking water samples green blooms can cause everything from responsibility for: inshore and ofshore, and FGCU divers mild skin rashes to serious illness or death. to this community documented a dead zone on Lee County’s During the blue-green algae bloom, and to this region, artifcial reefs – red tide dead zones occur Mike Parsons, director of FGCU’s Coastal when massive amounts of fsh die, and Watershed Institute and Vester Marine to make sure that the decomposition process sucks the Field Station, conducted a study that we are doing oxygen out of the water, so organisms not showed humans can inhale blue-green everything we normally afected by brevetoxin, such as algae toxins, called cyanotoxins, deep into can to support mollusks, sufocate. their lungs. all of the factors Te extent to which nutrients from Mercury poisoning in humans might that impact the land feed Karenia blooms is unknown – not be as big an issue as red tide or blue- viability and the current scientifc consensus indicates that green algae, but it’s important enough for health and the nutrients from land-based sources can make the Florida Department of Health to put welfare of the blooms larger and last longer but much is out an advisory concerning how much of people in this still unknown about the interplay between every edible fsh species in the state people human activities and red tides. FGCU can consume safely. community. researchers are seeking $9 million from the Darren Rumbold, professor of marine state to further explore the efects of land- and ecological sciences, is studying - James Llorens, based nutrients on red tide. If the proposal methylmercury, the poisonous form of provost and vice is funded, researchers will also study red the element. president for tide’s environmental and economic impacts Methylmercury works its way up the

academic affairs and its efects on human health. food web through bioaccumulation: Pinfsh FGCU FILE PHOTO

4 SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WATER / SPECIAL ISSUE eat shrimp that have methylmercury in When water levels approach or exceed their tissues, and that methylmercury 15.5 feet following major rain events, accumulates in the pinfsh; a snook eats water managers release billions of gallons a bunch of those pinfsh and absorbs all of fresh water down the Caloosahatchee; their mercury, and so on through the food in addition to bringing algal bloom- web, until a person eats a fsh that has fueling nutrients down the river, all that accumulated enough methylmercury to fresh water can kill seagrasses and oysters make him sick – symptoms of mercury in the lower Caloosahatchee, where water poisoning include nausea and vomiting, is naturally brackish – water that has a loss of motor skills, tremors, difculty salinity between that of seawater – 35 breathing and memory problems. parts per thousand – and freshwater. “We’re interested in mercury because of During dry periods, water managers don’t its health threats,” Rumbold says. “Mercury release water from the lake, so brackish is stored in things we like to eat: flets of water moves up the Caloosahatchee and kills fsh. We should be eating fsh. We need to freshwater vegetation. be eating fsh. We just need to pick the right Oysters and fresh- and saltwater grasses fsh. Looking at the whole food web, we are extremely important parts of the can develop models to predict how mercury Caloosahatchee ecosystem. Tey provide is transferred to the next level. We’ve got habitat for juvenile fsh and benthic to understand the whole picture to make (bottom-dwelling) organisms and are management decisions.” food for many animals, including birds, manatees and turtles. Tey also stabilize COMPETING WATER the river bottom and trap sediments. MANAGEMENT GOALS Win Everham, professor of In terms of Another big problem starts at Lake environmental studies, is experimenting solving a Okeechobee: Water managers want to with ways of planting grasses in the upper problem, first keep the lake between 12.5 feet and 15.5 Caloosahatchee. you need to feet above sea level; levels below 12.5 “People ask, ‘Why are you planting know what the feet cause environmental damage to the seagrass if the water’s not right?’” he lake’s ecosystems, and levels above 15.5 says. “If we can get grasses established problem is, be could cause a breach in the aging Herbert and living long enough to fruit, that will aware of it, and Hoover Dike, which surrounds the lake invigorate the seedbank. If we get healthy you need to study and protects tens of thousands to millions vegetation in the river, releases from what is causing of residents from harm. Lake Okeechobee won’t matter. I could the problem. be wrong about the math, but that’s my And, so, a lot of hopeful statement.” that is just basic Mike Parsons Oysters provide important habitat, too: science, doing FGCU researchers have determined that the research, and local oyster reefs are home to or foraging understanding grounds for more than 300 invertebrate and vertebrate species, including some of the system or the area’s most popular recreational fsh, the problem, but such as snook, redfsh, spotted seatrout then coming up and sheepshead. with potential In addition to providing habitat, solutions. oyster reefs are highly efcient fltering systems: A single oyster can remove - Mike Parsons, impurities (nutrients, detritus, bacteria professor of and algae, including Karenia brevis) marine science from 50 gallons of water in a day. So, and director of the even a small oyster reef of 1,000 live Coastal Watershed oysters will flter 50,000 gallons of water Institute and Vester

PHOTO BY BRIAN TIETZ every 24 hours. Marine Field Station

SPECIAL ISSUE / SOUTHWEST FLORID A WATER 5 FGCU researchers have been very using a multidisciplinary approach called involved with restoring oyster reefs in the ecological engineering. river and elsewhere. At the same time, Everham is working “We were not restoring them for food with Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary to purposes, as has traditionally been done monitor the 55,000-acre Picayune Strand in the northern Gulf of Mexico and Restoration Project undertaken by the Chesapeake Bay, for example, but because South Florida Water Management District they are so important to the ecosystem.” and Army Corps of Engineers, which includes plugging 48 miles of canals and FIXING WHAT’S BROKEN removing 250 miles of roads. Everham’s When Europeans started moving to goal is to determine how fsh, frogs and South Florida in the early 19th century, macroinvertebrates (animals without a they thought this would be a great place spine but large enough to be seen with to live if not for all those pesky wetlands, the naked eye, such as snails, clams and so, for decades, the area was ditched crayfsh) are adjusting to the restoration. and diked and drained and flled for agriculture and development. PREPARING FOR Ten we started to realize how A NEW CLIMATE important wetlands are, and eforts to Of course, the biggest water story restore them have become increasingly of the 21st century is climate change, popular – the ongoing efort to fx and Southwest Florida, with all its the Everglades is the biggest wetlands interconnected waterways from the Gulf It’s clear we have restoration project in history. Bill Mitsch, to Lake Okeechobee, will feel the efects water issues eminent scholar and director of FGCU’s as much as any place in the nation. Sea here. Everybody Everglades Wetland Research Park, is level rise will threaten property and knows how actively involved in wetlands restoration infrastructure as well as natural habitats; important water is in Southwest Florida. I hope The Water School will use water as the focus on the large question of what we want Southwest Florida to look like in 50 years. More specifically, I’m hoping that the school captures this piece of who FGCU is in terms of interdisciplinary study.”

- Win Everham, professor of environmental studies Win Everham PHOTO BY BRIAN TIETZ

6 SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WATER / SPECIAL ISSUE warmer oceans could mean more and more the university establish a school dedicated powerful hurricanes; increased acidifcation entirely to the study of water. Called in the water, caused by more carbon simply Te Water School, it will address dioxide in the atmosphere, could prevent water issues through research, teaching oysters, clams, conchs, and whelks from and outreach and would include not only building shells. water sciences but also other disciplines And, of course, FGCU researchers are such as human health, chemistry, physics, getting involved. engineering and economics. “We’ve already been doing research “I see two goals of this school,” Parsons in climate change,” Tolley says. “Tat’s says. “One would be immersing ourselves everything from my research – which looks more in water issues in Southwest Florida. at the efects of changes in temperature and Tere is a lot of local interest. We can see it salinity on the physiology of animals – to in terms of blue-green algae, sea-level rise, people like (associate professor of marine red tide, and so forth. And so, we should science) Felix Jose’s research that looks at really be part of the solution on these storm surge modeling for hurricanes. Jo issues. And, doing that, the second main Muller (associate professor of marine science) point would be the students and training uses cores to go back and track hurricanes the students, as our next generation of through time over the last 5,000 years. Mike scientists, to really tackle these issues and, Savarese has been doing a lot of work in terms hopefully, if we can’t solve them, they’ll be a of how oyster reefs respond to rising sea level lot farther along.” and how coastlines retreat and erode with Southwest Florida is all about water rising sea level over the last 5,000 years.” – lakes and rivers, streams and creeks, Research on climate change by FGCU freshwater swamps and saltwater marshes, faculty and students can have a positive estuaries and the Gulf of Mexico, fsh and Our water impact on future generations, Tolley says. frogs, oysters and turtles, water birds and and natural “We have an opportunity for us and our marine mammals, and humans. resources are students to actually do something about And FGCU researchers helping to protect the foundation it,” he says. “And I think that 50 years from that precious stuf that connects us all. of our economy now, we won’t have that opportunity if we “Water is bigger than ever in the and our way of don’t do something about it now. Tere’s a public eye, from Everglades restoration, life in Florida. window of opportunity now where we need to red tide, to hurricanes, to climate The protection of to be investing in these kinds of things if change,” Tolley says. “You can’t pick up water resources we’re going to continue to see the quality of a newspaper these days without reading life and the kind of life we have right now.” about some kind of water issue in the area. is one of the most One of the frst responsibilities of any pressing issues PROTECTING OUR WATERS university is service to its own community facing our state.” With so many water issues in Southwest and service to the region. Tat’s one of the Florida and so many FGCU researchers reasons we’re here, one of the reasons we’re - Florida Gov. FGCU FILE PHOTO working on them, it’s only logical that invited to be here.” n Ron DeSantis

SPECIAL ISSUE / SOUTHWEST FLORID A WATER 7 CURRENT WATER-RELATED RESEARCH AT FGCU

CIGUATERA got terrestrial situations or wetlands Douglass, associate professor of Mike Parsons, director of FGCU’s that we can’t get bass out of, so we’re marine and ecological studies, is part Coastal Watershed Institute and going to be using pythons,” he says. of an international project studying Vester Marine Field Station, is the seagrasses in Bermuda, Panama principal investigator on a project SEA LEVEL RISE and throughout the Gulf of Mexico. financed by a $5.9 million grant FGCU researchers are working Douglass does his work in the lush from the National Science on climate change. Greg Tolley, grass beds of Pine Island Sound near Foundation and the professor of marine science Sanibel. At all sites, researchers put National Institute and chair of the Department cages around plots of seagrass. Then of Environmental of Marine and Ecological they document various parameters, Health Sciences, Sciences, is exploring such as whether grasses around to determine what the effects of changes in the cages are being grazed down causes outbreaks temperature and salinity by parrotfish, sea turtles and other of ciguatera on the physiology of sea life, what happens to the grass poisoning, the most animals, and Win Everham, when nutrients are added to simulate common seafood professor of environmental nutrient pollution. Meanwhile, Win poisoning in the world. studies, is monitoring the Everham, professor of environmental It occurs when people eat Greg effects of Hurricane Irma on studies, is experimenting with fish laced with toxic algae Tolley mangrove forests. For Mike planting freshwater grasses in the from the genus Gambierdiscus. Savarese, professor of marine upper Caloosahatchee. Ciguatera poisoning symptoms science and program leader in include abdominal cramps, nausea, environmental studies, outreach to GREEN CHEMISTRY vomiting, diarrhea, chills, hot local communities is an important Two FGCU researchers are using and cold temperature reversal, part of FGCU’s climate change two very scientific-sounding weakness, dizziness, wheezing, efforts. As part of a BP settlement materials to extract water from the blurred vision, abnormal sensitivity grant, along with the University of air. Gregory McManus, assistant to light, muscle aches and joint Florida, University of Miami and the professor of chemistry, is following pain. “Fifty thousand cases a year U.S. Geological Survey, Savarese a study by MIT and University of is a conservative estimate,” Parsons is developing models to show California-Berkeley scientists that says.” It’s probably misdiagnosed decision makers in Collier County used metal-organic frameworks and under-reported, so there might what the coastline will look like at (MOFs) to extract moisture from the be hundreds of thousands of cases. various times in the future as sea air (in the MIT-Berkeley study, one We don’t really know.” levels rise. “The project is providing kilogram of MOF powder captured them with insights, helping them three quarts of water in 12 hours). MERCURY LEVELS use tools to plan for adaptation,” he “They used the materials that I work Darren Rumbold, professor of says. “How will Collier County adapt with and showed that they could marine sciences, has spent his career to what 2060 looks like in terms do this. They could go and harvest studying mercury in South Florida’s of mangrove wetlands, mangrove water from arid conditions. Here in food web (the Florida Department of forests, dune systems? You name it: Florida, if you want to harvest water Health lists 60 marine and estuarine It’s all in there.” from the air, it’s doable because bony fish species for limited it’s so humid in Florida. If you’re consumption based on mercury AQUATIC in a desert, good luck finding content). He has published more GRASSES drinking water. They were able than a dozen papers on mercury Seagrasses are to build a device that was able in native animal species, including an integral part to do it without any electricity. sharks, ospreys and alligators. Now of Southwest It was a box you could plop he’s involved with a non-native Florida’s estuary in the desert, and you could species. “We’re looking at invasive system. They use the power of the sun to be pythons in Southwest Florida to provide food able to go through and provide monitor mercury, working with the and habitat for clean drinking water.” Meanwhile, Conservancy of Southwest Florida, many vertebrate and James Arsalan Mirjafari, associate professor Douglass looking at mercury concentrations invertebrate species; of chemistry, is working with ionic in the python, because we can they stabilize the estuary bottom; they liquids (ILs), which are salts in liquid monitor mercury in bass, but we’ve help maintain water quality. James form. “We’re pretty sure if we can PHOTOS BY BRIAN TIETZ/OYSTER IMAGE, FGCU FILE PHOTO

8 SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WATER / SPECIAL ISSUE incorporate his materials into my goal of this research is to assess the Caloosahatchee River, and materials, the integration of our whether or not people are aware many people think of blue-green two materials together will be even of the problem, figure out ways to algae caused by nutrients in the more effective,” McManus said. “The increase awareness and include water. But FGCU graduate student only problem was the material they some solutions for what people Bass Dye, now at the University of made was very expensive; it was too in the community can do to help Oregon, wrote his master’s thesis expensive to be applicable. We’re alleviate the problem for the on what all that fresh water means trying to make it cheap. Harnessing environment,” she says. to oyster larvae in the river. Dye’s the power of the material I work with thesis advisor was Felix Jose, and the material that Dr. Mirjafari SHORE BIRDS associate professor and program works with will be even better.” Over the summer and fall of 2018, leader for marine science. “It’s something made many shore birds kind of a no-brainer,” Jose says. HURRICANE IMPACTS sick and killed many others in “Too much fresh water washes out Paleoclimatologist Jo Muller, of Southwest Florida. Working with the larvae before they have time the Department of Marine and Audubon of Florida, Kara Lefevre, to settle out on oyster reefs.” But Ecological Sciences, assistant professor and program Dye’s research goes beyond the does her research coordinator for environmental no-brainer stage. “Interestingly, our into the history studies, is trying to find out what. study found that larvae spawning of hurricanes by Working mostly in the Marco in Caloosahatchee River/San Carlos digging deep Island area, Lefevre collected Bay were not only transported into the earth sick and dead birds, mostly within San Carlos Bay (and some – hand driving royal, Sandwich and common flushed out into the Gulf) but also a hollow tube terns. The sick birds were sent transported to Matlacha Pass and deep into the to the von Arx Wildlife Hospital Pine Island Sound,” Dye says. “This ocean floor – to at the Conservancy of Southwest suggests that Matlacha Pass and study storm sediment Florida in Naples or to the Clinic Pine Island Sound could serve Jo Muller from centuries past. for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife as potential oyster restoration She and her students analyze that on Sanibel; the dead ones were sites apart from solely focusing sediment and, based on their sent to the Florida Fish and Wildlife restoration efforts on locations findings, they can determine the Conservation Commission for within the bay.” strength and intensity of storms from necropsies. The incidences of sick as far back as 1,000 years. From that, and dead birds coincided with a CLIMATE CHANGE they can make predictions about the serious red tide event that plagued EDUCATION intensity of future storms. Southwest Florida for more than a Although some government year, and the sick birds’ symptoms officials deny human-caused SOCIAL ATTITUDES were similar to red-tide symptoms. climate change, the scientific Although previous studies have “The sick birds were slow-moving,” community agrees that the threat shown that people tend to avoid Lefevre said. “When they normally is real, and FGCU educators are beaches during major red tide flush, they were slow to react. Some making sure the word gets out. events, that many people believe were unable to move. They risked Molly Nation, assistant professor red tides are becoming worse drowning because they couldn’t of environmental studies, is in duration and severity, and move away from lapping waves. even taking the message to the that human activity is making Some had lolling heads. It seems classroom. One of her lessons for the red tide problem worse, neurological.” Lefevre is waiting high school juniors and seniors, for researchers have never looked at for necropsy results to example, is called “Measuring people’s attitudes toward long red determine the cause the Greenhouse Effect tides. Until now. Diane Sasnett- of the illnesses and Through Simulation Lab.” Martichuski, assistant professor of deaths. “Climate change is psychology, is using quantitative perhaps the most serious methods (cold, hard facts) and OYSTER issue society is facing qualitative methods (impressions RESTORATION over the next decade, and opinions) to determine current Mention high-volume and our educated youth attitudes about the lingering red releases from Lake are not being prepared tide in Southwest Florida. “The Okeechobee down to make informed decisions

SPECIAL ISSUE / SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WATER 9 regarding this complex problem,” float distance in Cape Coral canals are man-made wetlands whose she says. “It is important for the to the Caloosahatchee River. “We’ve plants remove and store nutrients, future of our children that we take always heard people that are selling particularly phosphorus, from a closer look at the type of climate homes talk about, ‘Oh, you’re just five agricultural water (so far, 57,000 change education happening within minutes to the river,’ and it seems like acres of STAs have been built south our science classrooms, the types every home in Cape Coral on all 400- of Lake Okeechobee). “Those of curriculum being taught, and the plus miles of canals is five minutes to wetlands will eventually become teachers that are instructing.” the river, so the name of our paper is saturated with phosphorus,” Mitsch ‘One Beer to the River,’ and it looks at says. “With wetlaculture, we’d REAL ESTATE this spatial component of residential swap those wetlands to the sugar Shelton Weeks, chair of FGCU’s property values related to access industry or other ag interests, and Department of Economics & Finance to open water and how it directly they’d convert them to agriculture, and Lucas Professor of Real Estate, impacts property values.” and they’d give us areas of ag and Napoleon Bonaparte Broward, land that we’d flip to wetlands.” A Florida’s governor from 1905 to WETLACULTURE major benefit to this idea is that 1909, would probably have had lively Bill Mitsch, director of FGCU’s the wetlands that the agriculture conversations about water and real Everglades Wetland Research in industry flips to ag fields would estate. According to Broward, “Water Naples, has a way to save South never need fertilizers because they’d is the common enemy of the people Florida from fertilizers, which he already be saturated with nutrients. of Florida.” According to Weeks, calls “the opiate of agriculture,” and, Mitsch says we need 100,000 acres “The economic impact of water in because the nutrients in fertilizers of STAs for the idea to work. “Since Southwest Florida is huge, from cause massive micro- and macro- SFWMD (the South Florida Water recreational use to just sustaining algal blooms, he could help save Management District) recently life here.” People move here for the Southwest Florida’s freshwater announced that they are increasing water. Having access to the water is systems, estuaries and near shore the area of the current STAs/ great; living near the water is better; Gulf of Mexico. The process is called treatment wetlands that already exist living on the water is best. Weeks is wetlaculture, a portmanteau word by 6,000 acres, I am now suggesting working with Tim Allen, Alico Chair from wetlands and agriculture. It that we need 94,000 additional of Finance, on a paper that examines starts with Everglades stormwater acres,” he says. “So, they are making the impact on property values of treatment areas (STAs), which tiny progress.” n

FGCU, MOTE MARINE TEAM UP TO BATTLE TOXIC ALGAE Operating on the premise that FGCU Provost James Llorens said, harmful algal blooms. the expertise of two institutions will “We’ll research together, fundraise “FGCU is very pleased to strengthen the efforts of both, Florida together and teach together. It’s a formalize an ongoing partnership Gulf Coast University and Mote Marine true collaboration.” with Mote Marine,” FGCU President Laboratory & Aquarium have begun a Sarasota-based Mote and The Mike Martin said. “Most assuredly partnership to address the impacts of Water School at FGCU will pursue working together, and with other harmful algal blooms in Florida. collaborative scientific research, colleagues across the state and Leaders of the two institutions innovative technology development nation, we can bring science to bear signed a Memorandum of and undergraduate and graduate on the challenges of maintaining Understanding in early April to education with a focus on these Florida’s critical water resources.” n begin collaborating on problems associated with red tide, blue-green algae and other toxic algal blooms present in area waters. “Our joint goal is to not just gain a greater understanding about the ecological forcing functions of red tide and other harmful algal blooms,” said Mote President and CEO Michael P. Crosby, “but to actually do something to decrease the devastating impact of harmful algal blooms to our environment, our economy and our quality of life.” Greg Tolley, James Llorens and Michael Crosby 10 SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WATER / SPECIAL ISSUE HOW TO GIVE For information on how to support The Water School at FGCU and the important research it does, contact Tony Lee at [email protected] or (239) 590-1068.

The health of our Southwest Florida waterways and ecosystems Connecting the drops is vital to our economy – in The Water School at FGCU will take holistic addition, the physical harm to approach to water problems, solutions people living in BY NADINE SLIMAK proximity to toxic algae is of great concern. We eople live, work and play out into the estuaries and then to the must make every in Florida because of the Gulf,” Gregerson says. “What we’re talking effort possible to water, but as water quality about is a school that has a comprehensive mitigate harmful declines, leading business approach to water. It’s not just that we’re effects of red tide sectors – from tourism, to really focused on the Gulf of Mexico, or and toxic algae agriculture, from recreation to real estate – we’re really focused on Lake O, or we’re P and we must also sufer regularly from devastating losses. really focused on the Everglades. It’s a Situated in the midst of critical fresh and salt comprehensive approach because all those take the steps water systems, FGCU’s scholars are uniquely components are integrated.” necessary to positioned to take on these pressing issues and eliminate the root develop comprehensive solutions to the water A BIG IDEA causes of these problems we face, says Bob Gregerson, dean of “Philosophically, a couple of years ago, we outbreaks.” FGCU’s College of Arts & Sciences. as an institution started looking in the mirror “A drop of rain falls in central Florida and asking the question: What are we going - Congressman

FGCU FILE PHOTO and makes its way down to the coast and to be known for?” Gregerson says. One of the Francis Rooney

SPECIAL ISSUE / SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WATER 1 1 ideas that coalesced was this idea of Te Water connection of that drop of water that hits School, as a shining example of how we do all the landscape, which gets changed as it the things that impact our greater community, comes down through our local watersheds allow us to do cutting-edge research and and ends up on the Continental Shelf, in scholarship, and train students, and be an the shallow waters of the Gulf of Mexico.” integral part of our greater community. “With 400 acres of protected habitat Water School researchers will and LEED-certifed buildings, FGCU is focus on five major themes: already a living environmental lab with } Climate change sustainability at the core of our mission. } Restoration and remediation, for example: We have award-winning initiatives in oyster reef restoration and seagrass planting; education, energy production, research and } Human health – including ciguatera sustainable practices that make us one of the and mercury poisoning and the efects of nation’s greenest campuses. It’s the perfect red tide and blue-green algae on humans; place to develop a new school dedicated to } Natural resources, which include fsheries, developing a comprehensive understanding mangrove forests, beaches and seagrass beds; of water problems that also moves beyond } Ecosystem integrity – looking at ways traditional boundaries to develop solutions.” to maintain healthy ecosystems. Obviously, researchers from FGCU’s Department of Marine and Ecological Plans for The Water School Sciences would become a part of Te include: Water School, but it will go well beyond } State-of-the-art facilities housed in those disciplines to draw in engineering, the proposed Integrated Watershed and economics, education, healthcare, Coastal Studies Building – 116,000 square psychology, physics and chemistry. feet of much-needed space that will serve “Tis is not a science solution to our as a center of STEM activity and will help water problems,” says FGCU President solve Florida’s water problem. Mike Martin. “Tis is a university } New funding for scholarships, solution. Te Water School is a cross- fellowships, symposiums and more cutting, interdisciplinary activity that that will attract and retain the best and integrates across every unit in the brightest students, fellows and faculty. university. It’s not just about the water – Water is it’s what the water enables us to do. It’s BIG SOLUTIONS NEED important, no about an integrated opportunity for us BIG SHOULDERS matter where to think about water and health, water Te success of Te Water School will you’re at. It has and policy, water and economics, water hinge on FGCU’s ability to secure an an increased and engineering. It’s about something additional $25 million in funding – the importance in that brings the entire region together and state legislature has already earmarked Florida because impacts every element of our lives.” $30.5 million – from individuals, of the amount of corporations, foundations and the state water around the BIG SOLUTIONS of Florida to expand the university’s state. It impacts Te Water School will ofer bachelor’s infrastructure, establish scholarships and degrees in environmental studies, fellowships and realign new and current tourism, boating, environmental geology and marine science, graduate and undergraduate programs agriculture. All of and master’s degrees in environmental within the school, says Martin. those things are science and environmental studies. “More and more people are recognizing connected. One diference between the FGCU school the importance of the integration of the and that of other institutions is that much of water into the lifestyle here in Southwest the research will focus on watershed issues, Florida,” he said. “We’re seeing it in - John says Greg Tolley, professor of marine sciences local initiatives and we’re seeing it in the Woolschlager, who will lead Te Water School. state legislature. Te time is right for the professor of “Te University of South Florida is community to invest in solutions to our environmental blue water. Te University of Miami is water problems and FGCU is uniquely engineering and blue water,” he says. “We’re focused on the positioned to lead the way.” n Backe Chair 12 SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WATER / SPECIAL ISSUE Gulf of Mexico reef will provide realistic research environment BY KEVIN LOLLAR

he best way to teach foor 150 feet apart, each structure at the students about the corner of a one-half-acre square. marine environment is to Researchers will be able to modify three put them in the water. of the structures for projects, while the To that end, FGCU’s fourth structure will remain unmodifed TDepartment of Marine and Ecological as a control. Sciences plans to deploy an artifcial reef in 30 feet of water 8½ miles ofshore, Individuals and groups already where students will learn to conduct showing interest in the reef: real underwater science. “Everybody’s } Florida Fish and Wildlife excited about this reef,” says Bob Wasno, Conservation Commission researchers manager of FGCU’s Vester Marine want to place receivers on one of the Field Station. “It will be an opportunity structures as part of a network of receivers for people to do great research.” Te that tracks fsh carrying surgically department is in the process of seeking implanted transmitters. funding for the project. } Bonefsh & Tarpon Trust wants to Artifcial reefs are often created by use the reef to capture, tag and release simply dumping material, such as permit, a popular game fsh closely One of the most concrete rubble or concrete culverts, of a related to the pompano. important things barge, but the FGCU reef will consist of } John Stevely, Florida Sea Grant is that we really four structures made from 20-foot-long agent for Manatee and Sarasota counties, don’t have a local concrete pilings, donated by Cement plans to grow sponges on one of the group that can Industries Inc. of Fort Myers, that will structures. be fastened together to form what Wasno } Mike Parsons, director of handle and have calls “Lincoln Log” units. FGCU’s Coastal Watershed Institute, the perspective Tese structures, measuring 10 feet in wants to grow seagrass on a structure of water in height, will be carefully lowered to the sea to determine how Gambierdiscus, Southwest the organism that causes ciguatera Florida. You’ve poisoning, accumulates on aquatic got Florida vegetation. He’ll also monitor algae International growing naturally on the reef for the University from same purpose. the other coast; But the reef is really aimed at you’ve got students, who will start of by learning underwater navigation on the site, then Mote (Marine learn other research skills, such as how Laboratory) from to set site transects, identify local fsh up the coast. and biofouling organisms and conduct We really do fsh counts for stock assessments. need an entity “Tis is going to be a popular program in Southwest for students,” Wasno says. “It should be Florida to address a big selling point. It will attract students these local water who have a sense of what they want to do concerns.” in marine science. Tey’ll understand what it is to do research in scuba gear, actually - Darren Rumbold, doing research in the water as opposed to Bob Wasno professor of FGCU FILE PHOTO topside on a boat or in a classroom.” n marine science SPECIAL ISSUE / SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WATER 1 3 THE WATER SCHOOL WILL BRING TOGETHER ITS MANY PROGRAMS DEDICATED TO WATER ISSUES, INCLUDING:

CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AND SUSTAINABILITY EDUCATION The center’s mission is to work “toward realizing the dream of a sustainable and peaceful future for Earth through scholarship, education and action.” As it becomes part of The Water School at FGCU, the Vester Field Station center will focus on outreach by translating research done by The Water School to audiences outside and community partners with a laboratory and 1,000-square-foot FGCU, including K-12 students, collaborative focus on watershed- wet lab, which are equipped with non-profit organizations and the related concerns and their impacts desktop computers, microscopes, general public. The center will also on the coastal environments of dissecting scopes, a fume hood, continue its Student Associates for a Southwest Florida. In the past UV filtration, autoclaves, incubators Greener Environment (SAGE), a grant five years, CWI members have and refrigerated centrifuges. In the program whose purpose is to build been co-authors on more than 50 labs, researchers can study harmful a new generation of environmental publications on subjects ranging algae, ecotoxicology, seagrass educators and environmental from Late Holocene sea-level ecology and specimens collected scientists who will work toward fluctuation to the bioaccumulation in local waters. To get researchers sustainability. of red-tide toxin in Eastern oysters onto area waters, the lab has a fleet and from mercury accumulation in of seven research vessels. THE KAPNICK CENTER AND Southwest Florida’s coastal sharks EVERGLADES WETLAND to the rates of warming and the ROOKERY BAY NATIONAL RESEARCH PARK global sensitivity of shallow water ESTUARINE RESEARCH Established in 2013 at the Kapnick marine invertebrates to elevated RESERVE FACULTY LIAISON Center of the Naples Botanical temperature. Recent institute FGCU has a long history of Garden, the Research Park’s mission projects include restoration collaboration that includes is to understand how wetlands work of aquatic vegetation in the education, outreach and graduate and whether and how wetlands can Caloosahatchee River, the impacts fellowship internships. be created and restored. Along with of freshwater releases on oysters, teaching and service, research is a beach profiles and adaptation to sea THE ENVIRONMENTAL major focus for the park, as faculty, level rise, and oil spill impacts in the EDUCATION AND post-doctoral researchers, graduate Gulf of Mexico. OUTREACH PROGRAM students, staff, student interns and This partnership with the visiting scholars conduct projects VESTER MARINE Conservancy of Southwest Florida in Southwest Florida’s wetlands. FIELD STATION includes a faculty position whose Recent projects include “Nutrient Named for Norm and Nancy appointment is split between FGCU Removal Efficacy of Wetland Vester, who owned and operated and the Conservancy. It includes the Plant Communities in the Florida the property as the Bonita Beach Environmental Education Alliance Everglades,” “Ecosystem Services Plantation Resort and donated of Southwest Florida, a network of Coastal Mangrove Wetlands” more than $1 million to FGCU, of environmental educators from and “Carbon Fluxes in Subtropical enabling the university to buy the FGCU’s five-county service area who Wetland Ecosystems.” .86-acre site. At the field station’s come together to share innovative aquaculture facility, researchers ideas, best practices and more. COASTAL WATERSHED study native and non-native INSTITUTE marine and estuarine organisms For more information on The institute is an interdisciplinary in a series of flow-through tanks The Water School, visit group of FGCU researchers, and raceways. The field station fgcu.edu/thewaterschool. graduate students, undergraduates also has a 400-square-foot dry FGCU FILE PHOTOS/SHUTTERSTOCK

14 SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WATER / SPECIAL ISSUE NUMBER OF FLORIDA COUNTIES (LEE, CHARLOTTE, COLLIER, SARASOTA, $82 PINELLAS, HILLSBOROUGH AND MANATEE) FOR WHICH MILLION

GOV. RICK SCOTT DECLARED annual economic losses to U.S. STATES OF EMERGENCY IN seafood, restaurant and tourism 2018 DUE TO RED TIDE industries from harmful algal blooms (HAB) events

NUMBER OF JOBS IN THE LEISURE AND HOSPITALITY $78 1.3M INDUSTRIES (DECEMBER 2018) MILLION value of Florida’s aquaculture NUMBER OF BLUE-GREEN industry, including clam farming ALGAE BLOOMS ON FLORIDA’S EAST COAST (Indian River Lagoon) and the west coast (the Caloosahatchee River) between 2004 and 2016 caused by Lake Okeechobee water releases 589 8 SEA TURTLES AMOUNT FLORIDA GOV. KILLED BY RED TIDE, RON DESANTIS HAS PLEDGED 2017-2018 TO SPEND ON FLORIDA’S $2.5 WATER RESOURCES OVER BILLION THE NEXT FOUR YEARS

BOTTLENOSE DOLPHINS KILLED BY RED TIDE, 127 2017-2018 213 MANATEES KILLED BY RED TIDE, 2017-2018

SPECIAL ISSUE / SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WATER 1 5 Water. Clean, healthy, dependable water is essential to our way of life in Southwest Florida. At Florida Gulf Coast University, we don’t sit still. We have the opportunity and responsibility, right now, to bring all of our resources to bear on these issues and to be the catalyst that can help our communities change the course of their futures. That’s what The Water School at FGCU is all about.” - Michael V. Martin President of Florida Gulf Coast University

fgcu.edu/thewaterschool

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