This summer, marine and environmental biology and policy student Brooke van de Sande conducted experimental research on the accuracy of detecting humpback whales with trace genetic materials floating in the ocean. Working aboard Jersey Shore Whale Watch’s tour vessel, van de Sande collected water samples when whales were observed nearby and will now work with Monmouth University faculty researchers to lab test them for the presence of environmental DNA (eDNA).

Below, van de Sande discusses her research at the 15^th Annual School of Science Summer Research Symposium. Each year, the school hosts the public poster session, where students can present the work they conducted from May-August under the supervision of faculty mentors. Abstracts of all of this year’s presentations are available online.

Poster Title: Comparing Visual Sightings of Marine Mammals with Environmental DNA (eDNA) Samples Along the New Jersey Coastline

Faculty Mentors: Jason Adolf, Ph.D., and Sam Chin, Ph.D., Monmouth University Department of Biology; Danielle Brown, Jersey Shore Whale Watch/Rutgers University Department of Ecology, Evolution and Natural Resources

Funding Sources: Monmouth University School of Science; Department of Biology; Urban Coast Institute

Abstract: Over the last decade, there has been an apparent increase in marine mammal sightings, specifically humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae), along the New Jersey coast. To maintain effective conservation parameters for these and other cetaceans in the area, it is crucial to track and understand how they move about and use the New Jersey coastline as their habitat for large periods of the year. Although visual surveillance is commonly used to track marine mammals, the use of environmental DNA (eDNA) holds promise as a supplementary surveillance methodology. This research aims to compare visual sightings of humpback whales with detections by eDNA metabarcoding. Samples for eDNA detection will be taken within 100 feet of whales then be compared to the eDNA from the control samples that were taken when there were no visual sightings of whales in the area or on a given day. It was hypothesized that DNA would always be detected in the water for humpback whales and any other marine mammals that were visually observed from 100 feet away or less. It was also hypothesized that DNA would continuously be detected in the control water samples without any visual sightings due to whales residing along the coast for several months at a time. To assess how other factors affect eDNA signals, variables such as whale behavior, location, water temperature, sea state, and other marine animal sightings were recorded for each sample. The information gained from this research will allow for a greater understanding of how cetaceans utilize the New Jersey coastline during the summer months while providing support for ongoing visual sightings.

Surfers at beaches where stormwater drainage pipes discharge into the ocean risk catching more than waves on a rainy day. Monmouth University researchers studying the influence of weather and ocean conditions on microbial pollution found that within 6-24 hours of moderate rainfall, enterococcus bacteria levels exceeded state health safety standards about half the time at these beaches. While rain is a known driver of illness-causing microbial pollution at New Jersey beaches, this was the first peer-reviewed study to formally investigate the linkage.

Endowed Professor of Marine Science Jason Adolf and Specialist Professor Jeff Weisburg of Monmouth University’s Biology Department collected water samples with students on dry days and following storms at five Monmouth County beaches with outflow pipes in 2019 and 2020. The research was conducted both in the summer bathing season, when the state monitors pollution levels weekly, and from September-May, which is not regularly monitored by the state. Although the throngs of beachgoers largely vanish after Labor Day, the fall and winter months are considered prime surfing season for the Jersey Shore and its waters remain crowded with riders taking advantage of hurricane swells.

“Without a system on the beach to warn them, surfers could unknowingly be exposed to bacteria that can cause respiratory infections, nausea, abdominal pain and fevers,” said Dr. Weisburg, whose research focus is immunology and disease. “Since the restrictions on which beaches you’re allowed to surf at are lifted in the offseason, surfers should take advantage of the other beaches open to them and steer clear of outfall pipes during and after rains.”

The samples were tested for enterococcus levels and checked for relationships with data for three important drivers: precipitation, which transports animal waste and other pollutants to beaches via stormwater discharges; water temperature, which determines how easy it is for bacteria to thrive; and tide stage, which can control whether the pollutants are diluted or concentrated.

Model Accurately Predicts Microbial Pollution Based on Environmental Data

The research found that rainfall within 6-24 hours of sampling and higher water temperatures were the best predictors of high enterococcus counts, although exceedances of the state regulatory threshold of 104 colony forming units (CFU) per 100 mL seawater were found in all seasons – even in seas as cold as 44 degrees, following rainy periods. Although not an explicit part of this study, observations during sampling suggested that these bacteria spikes subsided quickly at these sites, within one or two days of occurring.

The researchers created a model that could predict the likelihood of bacteria spikes at the sampling sites with accuracy based on data for rainfall accumulations, water temperature and water levels. When the model focused on sites having stormwater drainage in the surf zone, its predictions that levels would exceed the state threshold were correct 69 percent of the time; it was a perfect 100 percent when it predicted levels would stay safely below the threshold.

Adolf said a model of this type, if expanded statewide, could be used to augment the state’s own system for monitoring water quality and advising bathers when the ocean is unsafe. New Jersey regularly samples on Mondays and only follows up with tests on Tuesdays or beyond if it detects a CFU count above 104.

The five sampling sites offered case studies in how the setup of outfalls could impact the results. A site where overflow water drained from Wesley Lake in Asbury Park had the highest percentage of samples above the threshold. The percentage was lowest at Neptune Boulevard in Deal, where the water drained into a sandy dune area that essentially filtered it before it reached the ocean. The results were more consistent at Roosevelt Avenue in Deal, and South Bath Avenue and Ocean Place in Long Branch, where the pipes all drained stormwater into the surf zone area.

The researchers also used the model generated in this study to “back cast” enterococcus levels at the same beaches using about 20 years of historical hourly rainfall, water temperature, and water level data. The output was used to test the efficacy of different sampling scenarios.

“Over the long term at the sites we studied, you’re going to detect about one in seven exceedance events if you’re only sampling one out of seven days because the nature of rainfall is random and the response of microbial pollution is rapid,” Adolf said. “If it happens to rain on the weekend or early Monday, you’re going to get a lot of exceedances when you measure on Monday. But if it rains on Tuesday through Saturday, the beaches we studied are likely to exceed enterococcus levels within 24 hours and will probably be clear by the following Monday. We recognize the logistical challenges to daily sampling, but our research suggests you can supplement weekly monitoring with modeling that predicts the water’s safety based on environmental parameters which are already being measured all the time.”

The study was published in the journal Environmental Monitoring and Assessment. It was co-authored by Monmouth graduates Kelly Hanna and Victoria Lohnes with research contributions by Monmouth graduates Maria Riley, Skyler Post, Ariel Zavala, and Erin Conlon. Associate Professor of Geography Geoffrey Fouad made important editorial contributions to the paper. Funding for the research was provided by the Surfers Environmental Alliance, the Monmouth University School of Science and the Monmouth University Urban Coast Institute.

Monmouth University is hiring four grant-funded (2023-25) positions for fisheries monitoring related to offshore wind development off the New Jersey coast. These positions will work as part of a growing team within the research labs of Professors Keith Dunton and Jason Adolf at Monmouth University (and collaborators at St. Anselm College, Stony Brook University, and New England Aquarium), working on acoustic telemetry monitoring and eDNA of various offshore wind development areas.

Interviews will begin immediately with a proposed start date ASAP. Scroll below for overviews of four open research positions at Monmouth University and click the links to learn more or apply for these jobs.

Marine Fisheries Acoustic Telemetry Senior Scientist – Full time 2-year grant funded.  Begins ASAP. Up to $70,000 per year depending on experience. PhD. preferred or an MS with relevant work experience.

https://jobs.monmouth.edu/postings/16861

The incumbent will coordinate and lead field research related to assessing marine fish communities using acoustic telemetry as a monitoring tool in offshore wind areas. The incumbent will primarily be responsible for deploying and maintaining a large offshore (up to 50 miles offshore) Innovasea acoustic telemetry array and surgically tagging multi-species, including elasmobranchs and finfish. Ability to operate small boats, independently lead fisheries sampling seasonally in offshore conditions, and work with partner commercial/recreational fishing industries, as well as other academic institutions is a must. The incumbent will also be expected to lead report and manuscript writing, data analysis, presentations at national meetings, and contribute to outreach and education.

Environmental DNA / Marine Fisheries Senior Scientist – Full time 2-year grant funded.  Begins ASAP. Up to $70,000 per year depending on experience.  Phd Preferred but extensive experience with acoustic telemetry can be substituted.

https://jobs.monmouth.edu/postings/16875

The incumbent will coordinate and lead field/lab research related to assessing marine fish communities using eDNA across pre-during-post construction phases of an offshore wind farm. This includes collection of eDNA samples, hydrographic (CTD) data, as well as conducting field experiments related to the sampling. The incumbent will also lead laboratory processing of eDNA samples, including filtration, DNA extraction, and metabarcoding library construction, as well as analyses. Offshore fisheries and eDNA sampling trips will occur seasonally (quarterly), and the incumbent will be in charge of preparing for/leading/processing/helping to analyze samples from the eDNA component of these sampling trips. Sampling trips are coordinated with fish trawling trips (up to 7d duration at sea) conducted by a partner university, and the incumbent will be expected to contribute to fish sampling (e.g., sorting, measuring, weighing, tagging, fin clip sampling) on these trips. The incumbent will be expected to lead report/manuscript writing, presentations at national meetings, and contribute to outreach and education.

Marine Fisheries Acoustic Telemetry Field Specialist – Full time 2-year grant funded.  Begins ASAP.  Up to $58,000 per year depending on experience.  MS preferred but extensive experience with acoustic telemetry can be substituted.

https://jobs.monmouth.edu/postings/16864

The incumbent will assist and, in some cases, lead field research related to assessing marine fish communities using acoustic telemetry as a monitoring tool in offshore wind areas. The Specialist will primarily be responsible for assisting in the deploying and maintaining a large offshore (up to 50 miles offshore) Innovasea acoustic telemetry array and surgically tagging multi-species, including elasmobranchs and finfish. The incumbent is expected to operate small boats, independently lead fisheries sampling seasonally in offshore conditions and work with partner commercial/recreational fishing industries, as well as other academic institutions is a must. The incumbent will be expected to assist in preparing reports and manuscripts, presentations at national meetings, and contribute to outreach and education.

Offshore Wind Fisheries and Oceanographic Technician – Full time 2-year grant funded.  Begins ASAP.  Up to $51,000 per year depending on experience.  BS (or higher) in Marine Science or related field.

https://jobs.monmouth.edu/postings/16870

The incumbent will assist staff in a variety of tasks in assessing marine fish communities using acoustic telemetry and eDNA as a monitoring tool in offshore wind areas. The technician will assist in sampling water and fish offshore as well as prepare and maintain a variety of sampling equipment. The incumbent should be comfortable working on various sized vessels and working offshore conditions.

The Urban Coast Institute (UCI) welcomed 18 students participating in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Inclusive Fisheries InternSHip (IN FISH) program aboard the R/V Heidi Lynn Sculthorpe on June 9 for a research cruise on Sandy Hook Bay.

IN FISH is a partnership program between NOAA Fisheries and research partners in academia and non-governmental research institutions which aims to build a more diverse and inclusive workforce. The 10-week experience includes a two-week course on ecosystem dynamics complex systems and eight weeks of project experience working with a mentor in science or management at a NOAA or partner institution marine research lab or marine resources program office. Students receive two credits through the University of Maryland Eastern Shore that are transferable to their institutions, as well as a stipend, tuition and course supplies.

For the second consecutive year, the two-week course was based at Monmouth University. Students stayed at Monmouth’s Garden Apartments and participated in daily educational activities on and off campus, visiting facilities around the region such as the Lund’s Fisheries processing plant in Cape May, the NOAA James J. Howard Marine Sciences Laboratory, the New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium, and the Rutgers University Center for Ocean Observing Leadership. Monmouth was also a partner in the debut year of IN FISH in 2021, which was conducted virtually.

The cruise offered the students an opportunity to get hands-on training conducting plankton tows, using sediment grab samplers, collecting CTD (conductivity, temperature and depth) meter data, and testing other equipment under the guidance of UCI Marine Scientist Jim Nickels and Field Operations Assistant Mitch Mickley.

“I was impressed by what excellent students they were and what bright futures they have,” Nickels said. “I’ve enjoyed working with the IN FISH program these last two years and see it as an academic-NOAA partnership that is beneficial for all involved.”

Students hailed from 16 universities located in 10 U.S. states and territories, some as far away as Puerto Rico, California and Oklahoma. Among them was Monmouth University’s Marie Mauro, a rising senior majoring in marine and environmental biology and policy who will complete her research internship in Maine.

The UCI’s participation in IN FISH is the latest step in its commitment to advance diversity, equity, inclusion and justice on and off campus and through its ocean science and policy programs.

A study co-authored by Urban Coast Institute Fisheries and Ocean Conservation Fellow Jay Odell in the journal Fish and Fisheries probed the condition of over 300 fisheries selected from a pool of nearly 2,000 state-managed, territory-managed and unmanaged fisheries in the U.S. The status of federally managed fisheries is assessed every year to determine which have been overfished and/or are being harvested at unsustainable rates. This study is the first to provide a comprehensive assessment of non-federally managed and unmanaged fisheries.

Although state-managed and unmanaged fisheries comprise about 40 percent of the total value of U.S. wild harvest fisheries, the stock status is unknown for nearly four out of five of them. The researchers found that for the 19 percent that had known status, only 16 percent had clearly healthy status and more than half did not partially or fully meet criteria for acceptable stock condition.

“Everyone says U.S. fisheries are the best managed in the world and there’s some truth to that,” Odell said. “However, that only applies to fisheries managed under the Magnuson-Stevens Act. Although there are many well-managed state fisheries, as a group, most are unmanaged and most are in poor condition.”

More than half of the respondents (state fish and wildlife agency fishery experts) surveyed said they were constrained by lack of resources. Another factor that came up was the intensive demand to assist with the federal fishery management system. Odell said this points to the need for greater investment in state/territorial fisheries management throughout the nation.

Odell completed the research while a member of The Nature Conservancy (TNC) staff in 2022. Fellow co-authors were from TNC and the University of Washington (UW), using a modified version of the Fishery Management Index methodology previously developed and published by UW researchers.

The full study, “Characterizing state-managed and unmanaged fisheries in coastal marine states and territories of the United States,” is available online. A UW blog summarizing the research can also be found here.  

Urban Coast Institute (UCI) staff provided presentations and facilitation at the Fifth Annual Mid-Atlantic Ocean Forum, held May 17-18 at the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House in New York City. The event featured expert panel discussions on ocean planning topics including climate-ocean action, offshore wind energy in the Mid-Atlantic, conservation efforts in the region, diversity, equity and inclusion, sustainable ocean economies and much more. Slides and videos from all of its sessions can be found online.

During the event’s “Tribal Data and Geotools” panel (shown above), UCI Communications Director Karl Vilacoba discussed his work with tribal entities and the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean (MARCO) to develop an Indigenous Nations, Communities and Cultures map collection on the Mid-Atlantic Ocean Data Portal. The panel was moderated by UCI Director Tony MacDonald.

UCI Fisheries and Ocean Conservation Fellow Jay Odell summarized the Portal’s extensive collection of marine life data available to decision makers during the above session titled, “Mid-Atlantic Ocean Wildlife: Charting a Course for Biodiversity Conservation.”

MacDonald served as a facilitator throughout the two-day event, offering opening and closing remarks. In addition, a team of Monmouth students presented a mobile app version of the Portal during a poster session.

A team of Monmouth University computer science students has created a mobile app version of the Mid-Atlantic Ocean Data Portal that will allow Android and iPhone users to quickly search and view thousands of maps showing natural features and human activities at sea.

The group unveiled a beta version of the app and invited attendees to test it during a poster session at the Mid-Atlantic Ocean Forum, held May 18 at the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House in New York City. (Watch the video above for a demonstration.)

May 2023 graduates Nolan Beagell, Chelsea Spencer and Ava Taylor developed the iOS and Android apps as their capstone project as part of the Computer Science and Software Engineering Department’s CS-492 Senior Project course taught by Specialist Professor Raman Lakshmanan. The student team spent the fall semester gathering the requirements and defining a detailed design. This included researching the web Portal, gathering information from Portal Project Manager and Urban Coast Institute (UCI) Communications Director Karl Vilacoba, and the Portal’s developer, Ecotrust Senior Software Developer Ryan Hodges. In the spring the group’s attention turned toward implementation and testing of the apps.

The Portal is a free and publicly accessible GIS mapping and information site focused on ocean areas from New York through Virginia. It contains over 6,000 interactive maps showing shipping traffic patterns, marine life habitats, offshore wind infrastructure, fishing grounds, military training zones, shipwreck locations and much more.

The Portal has been used for a broad range of purposes, such as siting offshore wind projects, designing undersea telecom cable routes, Coast Guard studies on shipping lanes and anchorage areas, and marine science education. It is maintained by a technical team consisting of researchers from the UCI, Rutgers University, Duke University, the New York Department of State, and Ecotrust, under the guidance of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean (MARCO).

The team’s mission was to create a scaled-down version of the Portal’s mapping application (Marine Planner) that would be more compatible with mobile devices. The group’s design does away with some Portal tools that are more appropriate for desktop environments and focuses on making it simple for a user to view its map layers on a phone screen or tablet. As a replacement for the desktop version’s Bookmarks tool, the team created a “Favorites” function which allows users to save maps they’re interested in.

“If you’d like to add a map layer to your Favorites, which saves all your data so you can have easy access to a layer that you’d like to use [in the future], you can hit the heart and it will add it,” Beagell explains in the video demonstration.

The students designed the app so it would automatically present newly added maps on the Portal. As a result, the app’s maps would be in sync with the Portal presentations.

“We were floored by what an on-brand, easy-to-use product the team put together,” Vilacoba said. “We believe it could open up the Portal’s trove of ocean data to totally new user groups and use cases. For example, an angler at sea could use their phone to scan for nearby artificial reefs or shipwrecks, which wouldn’t have been possible before unless the boat had a computer aboard.”

“Projects like these help our students gain valuable real-world experiences in developing software solutions from start to finish and also to present at an event like Mid Atlantic Ocean Forum,” Lakshmanan said.

Vilacoba, Hodges and MARCO will continue to work with Professor Lakshmanan and Monmouth students to test and fine-tune the app, with public releases in the Apple’s app and Android’s Google Play stores in 2024.

The Coastal Society (TCS) named Urban Coast Institute Director Tony MacDonald as a 2023 recipient of its Outstanding Service Award, presented for outstanding accomplishments in coastal management.

TCS is an international nonprofit organization composed of private sector, academic, and government professionals and students. The Society is dedicated to actively addressing emerging coastal issues by fostering dialogue, forging partnerships and promoting communications and education.

“It is always special honor to be recognized by your colleagues,” MacDonald said. “Over the years, TCS has provided me many opportunities to build professional and personal relationships that have aided me in my career. It was a particular privilege to serve as part of the TCS team that developed the Coastal Career Development Workshops named in honor of my colleague and friend Margaret Davidson. Her legacy lives on with next generation of coastal leaders.”  

In a statement recognizing MacDonald at is annual meeting on April 20, the organization noted, “Tony was a TCS Director from 2012 through 2014 and has been a speaker and a member of the organizing committee for TCS career workshops. His advocacy and enthusiasm for supporting the shared use of coastal resources exemplify the purposes of The Coastal Society.”

In addition to MacDonald, the Society presented the award to Geno Olmi, coordinator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Southeast and Caribbean Regional Collaboration Team.

The Urban Coast Institute’s (UCI) Heidi Lynn Sculthorpe Scholars program will provide funding for eight students and their faculty mentors to conduct five summer research projects on topics ranging from the development of an app that can simulate the risk of hurricane property damage in communities to threats faced by turtle populations in densely populated suburbs.

The Heidi Lynn Sculthorpe Scholars Program supports students and faculty of all disciplines in pursuing their passions for marine and coastal issues through experiential research. The program provides grant opportunities for student researchers and faculty mentors to conduct projects of their own design that advance the UCI’s mission and Monmouth’s Strategic Plan. Each year, the program funds dozens of hands-on research positions that provide real-world experience to students while helping make a positive impact in coastal communities.

The program also provides support for projects administered through the Monmouth University School of Science Summer Research Program (SRP) that advance the goals and objectives of the UCI. Two SRP projects being conducted by five student researchers will receive UCI grants this summer.

Summaries of this year’s projects are below.

Evaluating the Predation Risk of an Eastern Box Turtle Population Inhabiting a Suburban Island

Student Researcher and Major: Madison Patterson, biology

Faculty Mentor: Sean Sterrett, Ph.D., assistant professor of wildlife ecology, Department of Biology/Marine and Environmental Biology and Policy Program

Building on previous research by the Sterrett Lab, the team will study the risk posed by predatory birds and mammals to Eastern box turtles using baited camera traps and artificial turtle nests deployed in Monmouth County’s Weltz Conservation Area, an open space area surrounded by commercial and residential development in Ocean Township.

Flood Designation Relative to Residential Real Estate Pricing

Student Researcher and Major: Julianna Rubinetti, information systems (masters student)

Faculty Mentors: Geoffrey Fouad, Ph.D., associate professor of geography, Department of History and Anthropology; and Tjeerd Boonman, Ph.D., specialist professor, Department of Economics, Finance, and Real Estate

The researchers will investigate the effect of three prominent risk designations (Federal Emergency Management Agency flood zones, First Street Foundation modeling, and National Flood Insurance Program claims) on property pricing in coastal and inland waterfront communities in Monmouth County.

Programming Application Development for Hurricane Risk-Based Assessments of Coastal Residential Communities

Student Researcher and Major: Johnathan Williams, computer science and software engineering

Faculty Mentor: Tom Herrington, Ph.D., UCI associate director

The student will develop a program for evaluating the risk of hurricane-related structural damage to residential building structures within a particular community and assessing the impacts in terms of financial loss estimates. The application will also allow users to enter data to explore how mitigation measures can reduce these risks and ultimately improve the community’s resilience.  

School of Science Summer Research Projects

Field Site Assessments and Sediment Transport Analysis for Tidal Marsh Island Restoration

Student Researcher and Major: Tyler Barkey, Alexis Baumgartner and Nicole Cappolina, marine and environmental biology and policy

Faculty Mentor: Tom Herrington, Ph.D., UCI associate director

The researchers will collect data on waves, tides and currents adjacent to a tidal salt marsh in Barnegat Bay to determine how natural sediments move within the system and how effective depositing sediments on marsh islands can be for protecting nearby communities from sea level rise.   

Suburban Turtle Ecology and Conservation

Student Researcher and Major: Adriana Simancas and Richard Robinson, marine and environmental biology and policy

Faculty Mentor: Sean Sterrett, Ph.D., assistant professor of wildlife ecology, Department of Biology/Marine and Environmental Biology and Policy Program

The researchers will investigate the spatial ecology and density estimation of a suburban box turtle population using radiotelemetry and spatial capture-recapture techniques with the aid of a working scent dog. 

Additional Funding Opportunities

Monmouth University students and faculty are invited to apply now for additional summer and fall Heidi Lynn Sculthorpe Scholars funding opportunities. Grants available include:

• Faculty Enrichment Grants for the enhancement of existing curriculum, new curriculum development, research and scholarship, and team-teaching opportunities. Proposals for summer grants will be accepted through May 22 and proposals for fall grants will be accepted through Aug. 18.  
• Mini-Grants are also available to faculty and students for conference fees, symposia, guest speaker honoraria, equipment and supplies, and other needs to be determined on a case-by-case-basis. Applications can be submitted at any time and are reviewed on a rolling basis.

Those interested may apply via the UCI Funding Opportunities page on the MyMU Portal (Monmouth University sign-in credentials required). For more information, contact UCI Associate Director Thomas Herrington at therring@monmouth.edu.

These opportunities have been made possible through the generous support of many corporate and private donors. If you would like to make a tax-deductible gift to the UCI, please use our Give a Gift Now form.

Browse the Monmouth University Urban Coast Institute’s 2022 Annual Report for a look back at its research collaborations, student support, campus engagement and other milestones throughout the year. Among the report’s highlights is an interactive “2022 Log Book” timeline feature which allows readers to scan QR codes to view related articles, videos and other multimedia online.

Options are available to read the report in PDF or digital flipbook formats below. To request a printed copy of the publication, email uci@monmouth.edu.

• Read as digital flipbook
• View or download PDF