Document ID: EPA-HQ-OW-2002-0049-0115
Agency: epa
Document Type: Supporting & Related Material
Title: 
Posted Date: 2003-03-19T05:00Z

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APPENDIX
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Brown
Tide
Research
Projects
Peconic
Estuary
Program
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This
Page
Intentionally
Left
Blank.
Peconic
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Program
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BROWN
TIDE
RESEARCH
SUMMARY
This
package
includes
a
summary
of
ongoing
Brown
Tide
Research
Initiative
projects
and
the
Brown
Tide
Monitoring
Network,
as
well
as
a
list
of
historic
research
projects
funded
by
Suffolk
County
and
Sea
Grant.

The
Brown
Tide
Research
Initiative
is
a
multi­
year
effort
to
investigate
the
onset,
persistence,
cessation
and
impacts
of
the
Brown
Tide.
The
Initiative
was
formalized
at
the
October
1995
Brown
Tide
Summit
and
is
overseen
by
a
Committee
with
representatives
from
Sea
Grant
(
Committee
chair),
the
Peconic
Estuary
Program
(
PEP),
Suffolk
County,
the
National
Oceanic
and
Atmospheric
Administration
(
NOAA),
the
Stony
Brook
University
Marine
Sciences
Research
Center,
and
others.

Ongoing
Brown
Tide
research
is
being
funded
with
a
portion
of
a
$
3.0
million
commitment
from
NOAA
(
over
six
years),

$
100,000
in
Brookhaven
National
Lab
(
BNL)
services,
and
$
100,000
of
Suffolk
County
funds
to
be
used
as
match
for
the
BNL
project.
Suffolk
County
has
authorized
an
additional
$
450,000
(
over
three
years)
in
Brown
Tide
research
capital
funds.

Historic
Brown
Tide
research
has
been
funded
primarily
by
Suffolk
County
and
Sea
Grant.

Prepared
by:

Suffolk
County
Dept.
of
Health
Services
 
Office
of
Ecology
Peconic
Estuary
Program,
Program
Office
County
Center
Riverhead,
N.
Y.
11901
(
516)
852­
2077
January,
2001
Transmission
electron
micrograph
of
the
Brown
Tide
organism.
(
x47,000)

AUREOCOCCUS
ANOPHAGEFFERENS
("
golden
sphere")
0.5
µ
m
("
causing
cessation
of
feeding")
Peconic
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Program
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BROWN
TIDE
RESEARCH
INITIATIVE
PROJECTS
LIST
Funded
Proposals
(
Funded
with
NOAA
Monies)

B1
Robert
Andersen,
Provasoli­
Guillard
National
Center
for
Culture
of
Marine
Phytoplankton,
Bigelow
Laboratory
for
Ocean
Sciences.
Multiple
Culture
Isolates
(
Xenic
and
Axenic)
Biodiversity
and
Ultrastructure
of
Aureocococcus
anophagefferens.

The
objectives
of
this
program
are
to
establish
multiple
uni­
algal,
including
axenic
(
bacteria­
free)
cultures
of
A.
anophagefferens
from
various
areas
for
use
in
laboratory
studies.
The
availability
of
these
cultures
will
allow
studies
of
the
organism's
physiology
to
be
undertaken
in
an
effort
to
determine
the
physical
and
chemical
requirements
for
its
growth.
The
project
also
includes
examination
of
strain
diversity,
genetic
studies,
and
cellular
ultrastructure.

B2
Gregory
L.
Boyer
(
Chemistry
Department,
College
of
Environmental
Science
and
Forestry,
SUNY,
Syracuse)
and
Julie
LaRoche
(
Oceanographic
and
Atmospheric
Sciences
Division,
Department
of
Applied
Science,
Brookhaven
National
Laboratory).
Ferrodoxin
and
Flavodoxin
as
Metabolic
Markers
for
Iron
Stress
in
Aureococcus
anophagefferens.

There
is
speculation
that
blooms
of
the
Brown
Tide
organism,
Aureococcus
anophagefferens,
may
be
triggered
by
iron.
This
proposal
will
develop
a
metabolic
marker
for
iron
stress
that
can
be
used
to
elucidate
if
iron
is
limiting
to
Aureococcus.

B3
David
Caron
(
Biology
Dept.,
Woods
Hole
Oceanographic
Institution)
and
Darcy
Lonsdale,
(
Marine
Sciences
Research
Center,
SUNY,
Stony
Brook).
Microzooplankton­
Mesozooplankton
Coupling
and
Its
Role
in
the
Initiation
of
Blooms
of
Aureococcus
anophagefferens
(
Brown
Tides).

A
study
of
the
effects
of
zooplankton­
zooplankton
and
zooplankton­
phytoplankton
predator­
prey
relationships
on
the
initiation
of
Brown
Tides.

B4
Patricia
M.
Glibert
and
Todd
M.
Kana,
Horn
Point
Environmental
Laboratory,
University
of
Maryland.
Mechanisms
for
Nutrient
and
Energy
Acquisition
in
Low
Light:
Successful
Strategies
of
Aureococcus
anophagefferens.

Isolation
and
culture
of
additional
clones
of
A.
anophagefferens
and
a
characterization
of
their
photosynthetic
and
nitrogen
uptake
capabilities
under
varying
nutrient
and
light
conditions.
Similar
characterizations
will
be
made
on
naturally
occurring
blooms.
The
proposal
is
based
on
the
idea
that
A.
anophagefferens
outcompetes
other
phytoplankton
by
having
several
mechanisms
to
acquire
energy
and
nutrients
in
highly
turbid
waters.
Peconic
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Program
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B5
Maureen
D.
Keller
and
Michael
E.
Sieracki,
Bigelow
Laboratory
for
Ocean
Sciences.
Physiological
Ecology
of
the
Brown
Tide
Organism,
Aureococcus
anophagefferens.

Determination
of
the
photosynthetic
and
growth
characteristics
of
a
variety
of
isolates
of
A.
anophagefferens
and
other
co­
dominating
nanophytoplankton,
in
an
effort
to
determine
the
reason(
s)
for
bloom
initiation.

B6
Theodore
J.
Smayda,
Graduate
School
of
Oceanography,
University
of
Rhode
Island.
Analysis
of
Physical
Chemical
and
Biological
Conditions
Associated
with
the
Narragansett
Bay
Brown
Tide.

An
analysis
of
the
considerable
amount
of
data
collected
by
URI
during
the
Brown
Tide
bloom,
which
occurred
in
Narragansett
Bay
in
1985.

B7
Gary
H.
Wickfors
and
Richard
A.
Robohm,
Milford
Laboratory,
NOAA,
NMFS.
Isolation
and
Propagation
of
the
Brown
Tide
Alga,
Aureococcus
anophagefferens,
Using
Dialysis
Culture
Techniques.

Attempts
to
provide
axenic
(
bacteria­
free)
cultures
of
A.
anophagefferens
using
a
novel
culture
technique.

B8
Sergio
Sañudo­
Wilhelmy,
David
Hutchins
(
MSRC,
SUNY,
Stony
Brook)
and
John
Donat,
Old
Dominion
University.
Biogeochemical
and
Anthropogenic
Factors
that
Control
Brown
Tide
Blooms:
The
Effects
of
Metals
and
Organic
Nutrients
in
Long
Island's
Embayments.

Determination
of
the
seasonal
and
temporal
variability
of
dissolved
metals
and
organic
nutrients
in
an
attempt
to
establish
the
relative
importance
of
natural
processes
versus
anthropogenic
inputs
on
the
development
of
Brown
Tide
blooms.

BTRI
1999­
2001
B9
Sieracki;
The
Effects
of
Microbial
Food
Web
Dynamics
on
the
Initiation
of
Brown
Tide
Blooms
Expanding
on
the
work
from
the
Keller
and
Sieracki
BTRI
1996­
99
project,
this
investigator
is
examining
the
growth
and
grazing
of
Aureococcus
within
the
context
of
the
microbial
plankton
community.
The
hypothesis
is
that
a
picoalgae
niche
is
typically
occupied
by
the
algae
Synechococcus
and
that
Synechococcus
must
be
selectively
removed
or
reduced
to
open
the
niche
to
A.
anophagefferens.
This
project
also
addresses
the
picoplankton
community
including
phototrophic
and
heterotrophic
components,
such
as
bacteria
and
protozoan
grazers.
Peconic
Estuary
Program
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B10
Kana,
MacIntyre,
Cornwell
and
Lomas;
Benthic­
Pelagic
Coupling
and
Long
Island
Brown
Tide
To
gain
insight
into
the
regional
differences
in
the
occurrence
of
Brown
Tide
across
the
Long
Island
bays,
this
group
is
examining
several
hypotheses
regarding
the
control
of
Brown
Tide
by
nutrients
and
the
coupling
between
water
column
and
bottom
(
benthic­
pelagic
coupling).
The
central
focus
of
the
project
is
on
the
role
of
sediment
and
benthos
as
mediators
of
nutrient
exchange
in
the
water
column.
A
coupled
benthic
pelagic
coupling
model
is
used
as
a
framework
for
studying
the
role
of
sediments
in
Brown
Tide
dynamics.
Field
sampling
includes
south
shore
bays,
West
Neck
Bay
and
Great
Peconic
Bay.
Physiological
experiments
utilizing
technology
developed
in
Gilbert's
1996­
99
project,
the
turbidostat,
will
allow
for
accurate
bioenergetic
measurements
of
A.
anophagefferens
growth
and
photosynthesis
under
diverse
organic
nutrient
conditions.

B11
Lonsdale,
Caron,
and
Cerrato;
Causes
and
Prevention
of
Long
Island
Brown
Tide
This
project
continues
efforts
utilizing
mesocosms
to
study
and
understand
the
factors
leading
to
Brown
Tide
outbreaks
and
possible
Brown
Tide
prevention
or
mitigation.
The
team
is
examining
several
topics
including
changes
in
the
plankton
community
structure
that
takes
place
as
A.
anophagefferens
increases
in
relative
and
absolute
abundance
within
a
natural
plankton
assemblage,
and
the
effects
that
perturbation
to
the
pelagic
food
web
have
on
the
success
or
failure
of
Brown
Tide.
Investigations
will
continue
exploring
how
suspension
feeding
bivalves
affect
planktonic
food
web
structure,
and
how
their
activities
affect
the
absolute
and
relative
abundance
of
A.
anophagefferens.
This
investigation
will
consider
the
effects
of
the
chemical
form
of
growth
limiting
nutrients
and
the
rate
of
nutrient
loading
as
factors
affecting
Brown
Tide
initiation
and
bloom
magnitude.
Peconic
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Program
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SUFFOLK
COUNTY
Funded
Brown
Tide
Research
Ref.
#
Year
Funding
Name/
Description
S1
1986
$
78,998
Part
I.
($
36,058)
Effects
of
high
algal
concentrations
(
field
samples)
on
feeding
performance
of
bay
scallop
and
mussel.
Feeding
Performance
of
scallops
using
"
normal"
phytoplankton
species.
(
Bricelj)
S2
Part
II.
(
42,940)
Effects
of
light
limitation
on
eelgrass
growth.
(
Dennison)
S3
1987
$
43,563
(
Cosper,
Carpenter)
Laboratory
growth
studies
of
bloom
organism
(
macro­
micronutrients,
physical/
chemical
parameters)
Positive
identification
using
EM.
S4
$
9,300
Supplemental
funds
for
technical
assistance
on
above
project.
S5
$
16,663
(
Dennison)
Photographic
overflight
of
Peconic
System
to
map
eelgrass.
Groundtruthing
of
aerial
overflight
imagery.
Preparation
of
eelgrass
habitat
inventory
map.
S6
$
9,998
(
Siddall,
SUNY,
Stony
Brook)
Bay
Scallop
Landing
of
1985­
1986
and
the
Effects
of
Brown
Algal
Blooms.
S7
 
(
Siddall,
SUNY,
Stony
Brook)
Climatology
of
Long
Island
Related
to
the
Brown
Tide
Phytoplankton
Blooms
of
1985
and
1986.
S8
1988
$
46,800
(
Cosper)
14C
productivity
studies.
S9
$
24,999
(
Anderson)
Development
of
immunofluorescent
identification
procedure
and
training
of
SCDHS
personnel.
S10
$
6,680
(
Levandowsky)
Attempts
to
obtain
an
axenic
culture
of
Aureococcus
anophagefferens.
S11
1989
$
13,885
(
Levandowsky,
Haskins
Laboratory,
NYC)
The
use
of
satellite
based
remote
sensing
for
monitoring
the
Brown
Tide
phenomenon.
S12
1994
 
95
$
33,848
(
Beltrami,
SUNY
Stony
Brook)
Inferring
Brown
Tide
Dynamics
in
Peconic
Bay
from
Models
and
Data.
S13
$
18,606
(
Lonsdale,
SUNY,
Stony
Brook)
A
Field
Study
of
Microzooplankton
Biomass
and
Grazing
Rate.
S14
$
5,803
(
Mahoney,
NMFS,
Sandy
Hook)
Purification
of
Aureococcus
anophagefferens
Culture.

S15
N7
1994
 
95
$
32,168
($
10,000
SCDHS,
$
22,168
Sea
Grant
 
Wilson
and
Beltrami,
SUNY,
Stony
Brook)
S16
$
31,000
(
Boyer,
SUNY
 
Env.
Science
&
Forestry,
Syracuse)
Iron
and
Nitrogen
Nutrition
in
the
Brown
Tide
Algae
Aureococcus
anophagefferens
S17
1996
 
97
$
100,000
Brown
Tide
Monitoring
Network
(
Brookhaven
National
Lab)
This
project
will
use
$
100,000
in
Suffolk
County
funds
with
significant
match
by
BNL
(
minimum
$
100,000
match
in
first
year).
Suffolk
County
funding
will
be
used
to
deploy
real­
time
in­
situ
fluorometers,
construct
and
maintain
a
Brown
Tide
home
page
on
the
World
Wide
Web
Peconic
Estuary
Program
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reporting
resulting
data,
and
determining
basic
photosynthetic
physiology
of
Brown
Tide
in
the
field.
BNL
is
also
performing
"
hind­
casting"
and
autoecological
investigations
through
in­
kind
match.
S­
18
1998
 
99
$
49,945
(
Lonsdale
&
Taylor,
SUNY,
Stony
Brook)
Differential
Phytoplankton
and
Microzooplankton
Analyses
in
Long
Island
Bays.
Research
to
increase
knowledge
of
the
plankton
ecology
of
Long
Island
Bays.
The
researcher's
goal
is
to
describe
as
completely
as
possible
the
temporal
and
spatial
patterns
in
composition
and
biomass
of
phytoplankton
and
microzooplankton,
including
protozoa
and
micrometazoa,
at
three
sites
in
the
Peconic
Bays
system,
and
two
in
south
shore
bays.
Based
on
experience
and
the
literature,
the
researchers
will
categorize
where
possible
the
planktonic
members
by
trophic
group
(
e.
g.,
as
primary
producers,
grazers,
omnivores,
bacteriovores)
which
is
a
first
step
towards
characterization
and
comparison
of
planktonic
food
web
structure
in
these
bays.
S­
19
1998
 
99
$
200,00
(
LaRoche
et
al.,
Brookhaven
National
Laboratory)
Dissolved
Organic
Nitrogen
and
Brown
Tide
Blooms
in
Long
Island's
Coastal
Waters:
Testing
the
Groundwater
Hypothesis.
A
study
to
identify
the
source
of
DON
that
is
available
to
A.
anophagefferens
via
field
and
laboratory
studies.
The
laboratory
work
will
involve
1)
the
identification
of
the
DON
components
from
the
Peconic
estuary
or
Great
South
Bay
that
can
support
growth
of
the
alga
and
2)
characterization
of
the
DON
uptake
systems
and
utilization
mechanisms
that
make
this
alga
competitive
at
utilizing
nitrogen
3)
the
production
of
immunological
probes
to
major
proteins
of
A.
anophagefferens
involved
in
the
utilization
of
DON.
In
the
field,
BNL
will
characterize
the
DON
fraction
utilized
by
A.
anophagefferns
during
a
bloom
as
well
as
follow
the
nitrogen
nutrition
of
this
algae
using
immunological
probes.
Weekly
or
biweekly
nutrient
bioassays
and
analysis
of
various
dissolved
and
particulate
nitrogen
pools
will
complement
the
field
sampling
of
Suffolk
County
Department
of
Health
Services
(
SCDHS)
surface
water
monitoring
program.
The
result
will
be
analyzed
in
the
context
of
the
groundwater
hypothesis,
the
SCDHS
survey
and
the
Brown
Tide
Research
Initiative
(
BTRI)
project.
Peconic
Estuary
Program
CCMP
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9
NEW
YORK
SEA
GRANT
INSTITUTE*
Brown
Tide
Research
Ref.
#
Project
N1
R/
F­
48:
Blooms
of
Brown
Tide
Phytoplankters
in
Long
Island
Bays:
Physiological
Characteristics.
Dr.
Edward
Carpenter,
MSRC,
SUNY
at
Stony
Brook.
Started:
8/
15/
86
Ended:
2/
28/
87
$
9,685
N2
R/
CMB­
2:
An
Investigation
of
Coupling
Between
Phytoplankton
Productivity
and
Zooplankton
Dynamics
in
Long
Island
Coastal
Embayments.
Drs.
Elizabeth
Cosper
and
Darcy
Lonsdale,
MSRC,
SUNY
at
Stony
Brook
Started:
1/
01/
91
Ended:
12/
31/
92
$
147,529
N3
R/
CMB­
11:
A
Study
of
Viral
Activity
in
the
Brown
Tide
Alga,
Aureococcus
anophagefferens.
Dr.
Elizabeth
Cosper,
MSRC,
SUNY
at
Stony
Brook
Started:
2/
01/
93
Ended:
3/
06/
92
$
7,936
(
Scholar
only)
N4
R/
CF­
5:
Environmental
Factors
Enhancing
`
Brown
Tide'
Blooms:
A
Field
Experimental
Approach.
Drs.
Elizabeth
Cosper,
Darcy
Lonsdale
and
Edward
Carpenter,
MSRC,
SUNY
at
Stony
Brook
Started
2/
01/
93
Ends:
7/
31/
95
$
150,692
N5
R/
CE­
7:
Impact
of
Brown
Tide
(
Aureococcus
anophagefferens)
on
Microbial
Food
Web
Processes
in
a
Long
Island
Bay.
Dr.
Darcy
Lonsdale
and
Gordon
Taylor,
MSRC,
SUNY
at
Stony
Brook.
Started:
2/
01/
94
Ends:
1/
31/
96
$
117,061
N6
R/
FBM­
16:
Relative
Susceptibility
of
Bivalves
to
the
Brown
Tide
Alga
Aureococcus
anophagenfferens:
Comparison
among
species
and
life
history
stages.
Dr.
Monica
Bricelj,
MSRC,
SUNY
at
Stony
Brook
Started:
9/
1/
95
Ends
8/
31/
97
$
164,387
N7
(
S15)
R/
CE­
10:
Causative
Factors
in
the
Initiation
of
Brown
Tide
Blooms.
Robert
Wilson,
MSRC,
and
Ed
Beltrami,
Mathematics,
SUNY
at
Stony
Brook
1­
year
starting
2/
01/
96
$
22K
approx.
(
Plus
$
10K
from
Suffolk
County)

TO
BE
FORWARDED
TO
NATIONAL
OFFICE
FOR
FUNDING
IN
1996­
97
OMINIBUS
PROPOSAL:
(
intended
but
not
yet
approved
for
funding).

N8
R/
CMB­
12:
Cell
Cycle
Technique
for
Measurement
of
Growth
Rates
and
Environmental
Effects
of
the
Brown
Tide
Alga.
Edward
Carpenter,
MSRC,
SUNY
at
Stony
Brook
2­
year
project
starting
2/
01/
96
$
35K/
year
approx.

*
Information
provided
by
Sea
Grant
Peconic
Estuary
Program
CCMP
A
P
P
E
N
D
I
X
E
E­
10
ECOHAB
Funded
Research
Ref.
#
Project
E­
1
(
Stabile
et
al.,
1998­
99)
Genetic
Variability
Among
Spatially
and
Temporally
Isolated
Blooms
of
the
Brown
Tide
Microalga,
A.
anophagefferns.

Final
project
description
is
forthcoming.