Projects

To support a continuing study about assessing the extent and characteristics of macroalgal blooms in New Haven Harbor and the impacts such blooms have on benthic communities.

To support the Biodiversity and Impacts of Drift Algae in the New Haven Harbor study, which will continue to assess habitat structure and species diversity in New Haven Harbor, and to investigate the dynamics and potential impacts of extensive drift algal mats that have been found in portions of the harbor.

To support the assessment of the condition of macrofaunal communities in New Haven Harbor relative to selected environmental factors and the structure of the Harbor's benthic habitats. A comparison of the results will be made to available previous information to assess any long-term changes.

To support the assessment of  the condition of macrofaunal communities in New Haven Harbor relative to selected environmental factors and the structure of the Harbor's benthic habitats, and compare these results to available previous information to assess any long-term changes.  

Funds are requested to support the continuation of measuring elevation change and water levels in the Quinnipiac River marshes in efforts to understand the rate and causes  of marsh drowning (conversion to mudflat) that has been observed there.

To support investigation of the various stresses that may be contributing to the extensive loss of vegetation in the Quinnipiac tidal marshes and begin to gather data on the relative importance of sub-surface compaction, decompositon in causing elevation loss in this ecosystem.

For development of GIS data layers and analyses in support of conservation and sustainable development activities in the lower Quinnipiac River Watershed.

To support Field Research Program to document wetland loss along the Quinnipiac River Estuary and document baseline conditions and historic trends.

To develop GIS data layers of selected brownfield sites in Hamden, CT, and develop and analyze detailed GIS data layers for the marshes in the lower Quinnipiac River.

To support the project entitled Bioaccumulation of Sediment Contaminants by Benthos of the Quinnipiac River.  This proposed research is an investigation of the sediment contaminant load of two sites in the Quinnipiac River and the availability of the contaminants to the benthic organisms living in them.