LA TIG-Lower Trophic Level Inventory
Implementing Organization
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; State of Louisiana; US Department of the Interior
Overview
DWH Project Funding
$8,342,458
Known Leveraged Funding
$0
Funding Organization
Natural Resource Damage Assessment Trustees (NRDA)
Funding Program
Natural Resource Damage Assessment NRDA
Details
Project Category
Science
Project Actions
Monitoring and Observations
Targeted Resources
Other
Project Description
The project will develop a plan to improve understanding of the food web foundation through inventory and assessment of the lower trophic levels of the Barataria estuary. Lower trophic level (LTL) organisms include phytoplankton and animals such as zooplankton, worms, and small clams. They form the base of the estuarine food web and are an especially important food source for juvenile fish that live in the estuary. Additionally, they help to break down detritus, oxygenate sediments, and maintain healthy levels of nutrients in sediments. Organisms that live in the sediment also serve as excellent biological indicators of environmental conditions, including ecological recovery and ongoing impacts of buried Deepwater Horizon oil.
Contact
Melissa Carle(301) 427-8679
melissa.carle@noaa.gov
Project Website
None
For official trustee information regarding the Deepwater Horizon NRDA, including information regarding the NRDA process and the status of projects, see https://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/