Gulf Estuarine Research Society 2014 Meeting

Table of Contents: Thank You to Our Sponsors! (p. 3) -- About the Gulf Estuarine Research Society (p. 4) -- Student Travel Award winners (p. 5) -- Abbreviated Schedule (p. 7) -- 2014 Plenary Speaker – Dr. Michael Osland (p. 8) -- 2014 Plenary Speaker – Dr. Maggie Walser (p. 9) -- Full Schedule (p. 10) -- Poster Session Directory (p. 17) -- Oral Presentation Abstracts (p. 21) -- Poster Presentation Abstracts (p. 38) -- Things to Do in Port Aransas (p. 52) -- Greening the Meeting (p. 53) -- Map of University of Texas Marine Science Institute (p. 54)Coastal and Estuarine Research Foundation, Port Aransas, Gulf of Mexico Foundation, Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program, Lotek Wireless Fish & Wildlife Monitoring, Sea Grant Mississippi-Alabama, Sea Grant Louisiana, Sea Grant Texas, The University of Austin Marine Science Institute, Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research ReserveMarine Scienc

2017 Texas Bays and Estuaries Meeting

Program for the 2017 Texas Bays and Estuaries Meeting held in Port Aransas, Texas, April 12-13, 2017.Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program, Coastal Bend Bays Foundation, The University of Texas Marine Science Institute, Sea Grant Texas at Texas A&M University, Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies, and Mission Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve.Marine Scienc

2008 Texas Bays and Estuaries Meeting

Program for the 2008 Texas Bays and Estuaries Meeting held in Port Aransas, Texas, April 16-17, 2008.Coastal Bend Bays Foundation, Gulf Estuarine Research SocietyMarine Scienc

2014 Texas Bays and Estuaries Meeting

Program for the 2014 Texas Bays and Estuaries Meeting held in Port Aransas, Texas, April 23-24, 2014.Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program, Woody's Sports Center, Coastal Bend Bays Foundation, The University of Texas Marine Science Institute, and Mission Aransas National Estuarine Research ReserveMarine Scienc

2013 Texas Bays and Estuaries Meeting

Program for the 2013 Texas Bays and Estuaries Meeting held in Port Aransas, Texas, April 25-26, 2013.Marine Scienc

2012 Texas Bays and Estuaries Meeting

Program for the 2012 Texas Bays and Estuaries Meeting held in Port Aransas, Texas, April 11-12, 2012.The University of Texas Marine Science Institute, Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program, Port Aransas & Mustang Island, Architette Studios by j. bishopMarine Scienc

2011 Texas Bays and Estuaries Meeting

Program for the 2011 Texas Bays and Estuaries Meeting held in Port Aransas, Texas, April 27-28, 2011.Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries ProgramMarine Scienc

The University of Texas at Austin, Marine Science Institute, Port Aransas, Texas : "window on the sea"

Marine ScienceThe Marine Science Institute, located on a coastal barrier island in the city of Port Aransas, Texas, is an organized research unit of The University of Texas at Austin. It serves as a "window on the sea" for the university and other cooperating institutions. Our primary purpose is to provide both educational and research opportunities in the vital Texas coastal zone. It is an area that has thrived through the years on gas, oil, marine transportation and commercial fishing activities. In the coming decades, we expect to see the recreational tourist industry in the Coastal Bend develop into a major component of the State's economy. The health of the coastal zone ecosystem continues to be one of the major concerns of this laboratory and its scientists and graduate students. Through basic and applied research, we have the responsibility of providing an information base on the organisms and processes that comprise this valuable asset.Marine Scienc

2022 Texas Bays and Estuaries Meeting

Program for the 2022 Texas Bays and Estuaries Meeting held in Port Aransas, Texas, September 21-22, 2022.Marine Scienc

The Texas National Estuarine Research Reserve : site nomination and application for predesignation assistance : October 15, 2003

site nomination and applicationThis document describes the process and outcome of the work to nominate a site within the Texas coastal zone for the of the National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS). The NERRS program is administered by the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), as authorized under Section 315 of the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972. The overall mission of this program is to promote stewardship of the nations estuaries through science and education using a system of protected areas. Although national in scope, individual sites are state owned and managed with oversight and coordination provided by NOAA. The selection of a candidate Texas National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) site was initiated by the University of Texas Marine Science Institute (UTMSI). The University of Texas at Austin sought the assistance of the Texas General Land Office (GLO) to coordinate the site selection process and prepare the site nomination package. The site selection process was accomplished through the work of two standing committees, tasked with identifying, evaluating, and selecting a candidate site, as well as developing appropriate local, state, federal, and private partnerships that will ultimately define the NERR. The Site Selection Committee (SSC) provided overall guidance to the process and the Site Evaluation Subcommittee (SES) provided technical guidance in evaluating sites. Membership in both committees included individuals from state and federal agencies, state, federal and local public officials (state officers and legislators), academic institutions, private groups (e.g., private industry and environmental groups), and the general public. The process also included a public hearing to solicit comment and input from local residents and landowners in Rockport, Texas. The proposed Texas NERR site was selected from a group of 65 sites, within the Western Gulf of Mexico biogeographical subregion of the Louisianian Biogeographic Region, that represent key estuarine areas within the state's coastal zone. The proposed site (236,641 acres) consists of a combination of approximately 166,131 acres of state-owned coastal habitat, including estuarine intertidal marsh and shallow open-water bottoms and approximately 66,718 acres of estuarine marsh and non-tidal coastal plain habitat that is part of the Aransas and Matagorda Island National Wildlife Refuge. The site also encompasses the Buccaneer Ranch Cove Preserve (279 acres), a 257 acre parcel under conservation by The Nature Conservancy (Johnson Ranch), and a 3,256 acre private parcel (Fennessey Ranch) bordered on three sides by the Mission River that is proposed by the owner as a conservation area. The entire proposed site includes a diverse suite of estuarine and non-estuarine habitats (many of high quality) that form an intact coastal watershed. The site also includes a number of archaeological sites (i.e., indian middens) and supports significant faunal and floral components. The site is relatively rural with limited industrial and community impacts. Upon acceptance of the Texas NERR nomination by NOAA, UTMSI will proceed with development of drafts of an Environmental Impact Statement and Management Plan for the site. It is anticipated that appropriate management agreements will be developed during this phase of site designation to address the educational, research and management objectives of the NERR. The overall goals, objectives, and policies of the Texas NERR will be scoped during the Environmental Impact Statement process and addressed in the Management Plan. Landholding partnerships in the Texas NERR are anticipated to include: USFWS (federal), GLO, TxDOT, TPWD, Coastal Bend Land Trust, The Nature Conservancy, and the Fennessey Ranch. Local administrative partnerships in the Texas NERR are anticipated to include: Aransas County, and the City of RockportNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration United States. Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource ManagementMarine Scienc