Coastal Ecosystems Group

NEW FACILITIES CONSTRUCTED SINCE HURRICANE KATRINA (2005)

We have created an integrated and scalable series of experimental tanks ranging from small volume aquaria (microcosms) with tight environmental controls, to large volume tanks and raceways (mesocosms) that allow for multiple trophic levels.  These facilities will complement existing field experiments and laboratory investigations into ecosystem function, and enable us to simulate environmental changes under controlled experimental conditions.

Facilities at the GCRL campus, completed in 2008:

MISSISSIPPI NATIVE PLANTS NURSERY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SEAGRASS NURSERY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MERL Marine Ecosystems Research Laboratory:

Expansion has included a brand new facility at Cedar Point, along side currently planned aquaculture wetlabs. Ground-breaking for this building occurred in Jan 2008, and the opening ceremony is scheduled for late 2009. Over $1 million of equipment has being purchased to round out this facility for state-of-the art science and analytical labs, which includes a stable-isotope ratio mass spectrometer (Delta V).

Projects

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HOME

Faculty

Staff

Students

Gulf Coast Research Laboratory

FACILITIES

FACILITIES AVAILABLE

The GCRL has a fleet of small boats, as well as two large research vessels, the RV McIlwain and RV Tommy Munroe, to assist in the field collections at Barrier Island and offshore sites.

Botany has a state-of-the-art Walz mini-PAM fluorometer for photosynthesis experiments and Ocean Optics 2000 spectrometer for leaf reflectance measurements. The lab also maintains chemical supplies and instruments to do a wide variety of plant physiology and growth experiments.

The mycology laboratory includes the following equipment: Nikon Eclipse 80i research microscope with digital camera, a stereo microscope, two incubators for storing cultures at 4 C and 15 C, a transfer chamber, fume hood, balances, laboratory pH meter, microcentrifuge, electrophoresis equipment, a UV illuminator with digital camera, refrigerator, –20C freezer, a Pentium 3GHz PC, a Macintosh G5 2.5GHz computer; both equipped with a variety of software packages for image analysis and storage, and data management. Shared equipment and facilities include an autoclave, dishwasher, ice machine, and a

–80 C freezer.

The Fisheries Ecology laboratory includes the following equipment: 3 dissecting microscopes, 2 analytical balances, 2 drying ovens, a large muffle furnace, YSI 6600 multiprobe, a hydrolab multiprobe, multiple YSI model 85 hand meters, a LaMotte turbidity meter, 6 PC computers (one with camera and image analysis capability), 5 laptops,  -20 chest freezer, a 20 ft Carolina skiff, a 13 ft Boston Whaler, a F250 truck, aluminum throw traps, a complete drop sampler rig, numerous Breder traps, multiple seine nets, a 16 ft trawl, Wescor vapor pressure osmometer, chloride ion titrator, hematocrit microcentrifuge, glass aquaria of multiple sizes, numerous fiberglass holding tanks (rectangular & round), titanium heaters and controllers, water chillers, pumps, filters, and other wetlab materials and supplies plus a dedicated 16 x 25 ft wetlab facility with compressed air and cooling/heating capability (see microcosm room on map above).

 

To arrange access to facilities please contact Dr. Patrick Biber