Southeast Ecological Science Center

Who We Are

What We Do

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

General Information Product 120

 January 2011

Who We Are

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Southeast Ecological Science Center (SESC) is a research center 

that studies the biology and ecology of aquatic environments in the United States and around the world. 

This brochure offers a glimpse of the diverse issues addressed by SESC researchers.

Founded in 2009, SESC was created to bring together scientific experts in biology and ecology 

throughout the Southeastern U.S. and Caribbean. The Center’s roots lie in U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service and National Park Service research units that were brought into the USGS as the Biological 

Research Division in 1994. For almost a decade, research was carried out through the USGS Florida 

Integrated Science Center, which cultivated an integrated approach to earth and environmental science 

that focused on problems facing society. The Center still supports the Department of the Interior 

commitment to serve communities by providing scientific information to the public. 

SESC scientists apply their expertise to a variety of wetland and aquatic research and monitoring 

issues that require coordinated, integrated efforts to better understand natural environments. By 

increasing basic understanding of the biology of important species and broader ecological processes, 

this research provides information to policy-makers and aids managers in their stewardship of natural 

resources and regulatory functions. 

Greater Everglades Ecosystem Restoration

Everglades restoration begins with understanding the ecological importance of water, with an end goal 

of restoring and protecting a resilient ecosystem. USGS scientists are involved with determining the 

biological indicators of ecosystem conditions at every step of the process, from investigating the biology 

of important species to studying how the ecosystems in and around the Everglades are shaped by 

processes such as seasonal water cycle, drought, flooding, fire, hurricanes, freezes, and impacts from 

exotic plants and animals. 

Scientists from SESC investigate the relationship between water and the habitat of key species in the 

region through field studies and ecological models that test the habitat needs of alligators, crocodiles, 

amphibians, fishes, manatees, birds, crabs, apple snails, sea turtles, terrapins, and pink shrimp. USGS 

projects look at the dynamics driving systems such as marshes, mangroves, estuaries, pine rocklands, 

and coral reefs. 

For more information on USGS work in the Everglades, visit: http://sofia.usgs.gov/.
Photo: Karen Doody
Non-indigenousAquaticSpecies and Invasives

Non-indigenous or invasive species rank second only to habitat loss as a factor that threatens native 

biodiversity. The geographic distribution and basic biology of these exotic species is often poorly 

understood, and each new exotic species can create unintended consequences and complicated 

challenges for natural-resource managers. 

The USGS researches the basic biology and environmental tolerances of these species to provide 

resource managers with the ecological facts they need to help mitigate and control unwanted effects 

of these species.

The Center also maintains the national Non-indigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) database, which 

includes information in the form of fact sheets, distribution maps, and an alert system for over 

1,000 aquatic species distributed throughout the entire United States. 

To subscribe to the NAS Alert System, visit: http://nas.er.usgs.gov.

Imperiled Native Freshwater Species

Nearly 40 percent of fish species in North American streams, rivers and lakes are now in jeopardy of 

extinction, with over 700 native fishes listed as “imperiled” by the American Fisheries Society (AFS) 

Endangered Species Committee. 

The USGS researches the biology of imperiled native freshwater organisms of North America such as 

fishes, crayfish, snails, and mussels to provide information for the protection and recovery of these 

species. 

The SESC maintains an interactive Web site containing information about AFS-listed imperiled 

freshwater species. At this Web site, one can view listings of animals by freshwater ecoregion, state, or 

province and plot distributions of these same imperiled species by eco-region or political boundaries.

For more information, visit the interactive website at: http://fl.biology.usgs.gov/afs/.

AmphibianResearch and Monitoring Initiative

The rapid population decline of amphibians such as frogs, toads, salamanders, and newts led the 

Department of Interior to establish the Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative (ARMI) in 2000. 

The Southeastern U.S. is home to more than 140 species of amphibians, which represent over half the 

known amphibian species in the U.S. 

By tracking the health and stability of amphibian populations, ARMI provides valuable information on 

environmental relationships and population dynamics. Studies look at how habitat change, disease, 

contaminants in water, and climate change affect amphibian abundance and diversity. 

Amphibians are an important indicator of ecosystem conditions, and scientific observations and analyses 

can be used to develop informed management and protection strategies for amphibian health and habitat 

conditions.

The Sirenia Project

The Center ́s Sirenia Project conducts long-term monitoring and detailed studies on the life history, 

population dynamics, and ecological requirements of the West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus). 

USGS biologists work cooperatively with other Federal and state researchers and managers on research 

identified as essential for the recovery of the species. 

The Manatee Individual Photo-Identification System, or MIPS, is a valuable compilation of records of 

individual manatee life histories that provides a basis for assessing risks to the manatee population and 

estimating life-history parameters such as survival and recruitment. Research in conservation genetics 

looks at the genetic diversity of manatee populations in Florida and throughout the Caribbean, providing 

guidance for future management. Health assessments of native manatees living in the wild provide 

valuable baseline information on their fitness in different geographic regions, as well as archive samples 

for future analyses, such as genetics. Ecological studies of manatees help managers evaluate habitat use 

and the impacts of hurricanes, low temperatures, red tide, and other environmental factors on the health 

and survival of the West Indian manatee. 

Corals, Coastlines, and Estuaries

In addition to their dazzling beauty and diversity, coastal, benthic, and estuarine environments 

provide the nursery grounds for rare commercially and recreationally valuable fish and other marine 

life. Scientists at USGS investigate sea turtle nesting beaches, coral reefs, mangroves, salt marshes, 

and estuaries throughout the Southeastern U.S. and Caribbean. This work provides science that 

Department of the Interior resource managers can use to protect and preserve these sensitive habitats 

and ecosystems.

Research looks at the ecological structure and function of these ecosystems, the role of marine reserves, 

land-based effects to reefs and estuaries, and ecosystem responses to global change. Scientists from 

SESC are involved with the interagency DISCOVRE program, which looks at cold coral reefs found in 

the depths of the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean. Another recent scientific discovery was the 

surprising diversity and abundance of species found in coral communities in the sheltered harbors of the 

Virgin Islands. SESC scientists are studying these coral communities to understand what makes them 

resilient to stressors. 
Photo: Anne Morkill
Contaminants Biology

Environmental contaminants originate from a variety of human activities including industry, energy 

production, agriculture, transportation, recreation, wastewater treatment, and urban horticulture. The 

Contaminant Biology Program at USGS looks at the effects of these potentially damaging contaminants 

on aquatic and wetland plants and animals throughout the food chain, especially as they may impact 

imperiled native species and habitats. 

Researchers at SESC conduct risk assessments of contaminants such as heavy metals, methyl mercury, 

and copper as well as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), 

and organochlorine pesticides (including DDT and DDE). Furthermore, emerging contaminants such 

as fragrances/musks, flame retardants, triclosan, personal-care products, and pharmaceuticals can 

affect aquatic environments and fish health. By looking at the effects of contaminants (including 

sublethal effects), SESC scientists provide information on how contaminants interact with species 

living in and dependent upon aquatic habitats. This data is valuable for fish-consumption advisories 

and provides information needed for managing water resources and species. 

Sea Level Rise and Climate Change

Innovative modeling efforts at USGS provide new techniques for assessing the past and future 

effects of sea level rise, and the likely effects of climate change on Florida’s habitats. 

Researchers at SESC, in collaboration with our affiliated USGS Centers and University scientists, are 

combining three-dimensional hydrologic models with historical data on tidal sea level and climate to 

fine-tune the predictive capabilities of decision-support tools. These tools evaluate how climate change 

affects biological, hydrological, and geological drivers of ecosystem dynamics. For example, models are 

being designed to factor in important disturbance events, such as the role that hurricanes play as drivers 

of coastal change by triggering a tipping point in coastal vegetation patterns. 

Ecologists are also working with climate downscaling teams to look at the effects of regional climate 

change on habitats within Florida at a scale that is useful to resource managers.
7920 NW 71st Street

Gainesville, FL 32653

Tel: 352-378-8181

Fax: 352-378-4956

Visit us on the Internet at: 

http://sesc.usgs.gov

Printed on recycled paper

U.S. Department of the Interior

KEN SALAZAR, Secretary

U.S. Geological Survey

Marcia K. McNutt, Director

Southeast Ecological Science Center

Suggested citation:

Pawlitz, R.J., 2011, Southeast Ecological 

Science Center: Who we are, what we do: 

U.S. Geological Survey General Information 

Product 120, 20 p.