Continued Sampling of Blue Crab Larvae, Juveniles and Adults to Evaluate Oil Spill Effects on Population Connectivity and Adaptation, and Predict the Dynamics of Recovery
Implementing Organization
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Overview
DWH Project Funding
$52,509
Known Leveraged Funding
$0
Funding Organization
Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI)
Funding Program
Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative GoMRI Grant Program
Details
Project Category
Science
Project Actions
Environmental Research
Targeted Resources
Human and/or Institutional Capacity
Project Description
In the northern Gulf of Mexico (GOM) the blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) is a keystone species in salt marshes and supports a $50M/yr. fishery. Populations of blue crabs depend on recruitment of larvae that are spawned offshore where they are planktonic for a month or two before returning to coastal waters and metamorphosing into juvenile crabs. It is not known how far blue crab larvae are typically carried by currents, so the extent to which populations are self-sustaining versus dependent on other sources of larvae is also unknown.
Contact
Joseph Neigel337-482-5661
jneigel@louisiana.edu
Project Website
None
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