| Affiliations: | STEM Research Leadership |
| Project Leader: | Guilherme Corte
corte@tamu.edu Marine Biology |
| Faculty Mentor: | Guilherme Corte |
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Meeting Times:
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TBA |
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Team Size:
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6
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| Open Spots: | 0 |
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Special Opportunities:
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All participants who play a significant role in the project will be credited as co-authors on publications and will become full members of our research group
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Team Needs:
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Willingness to conduct field and lab activities Team work |
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Description:
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Climate change and human activities pose significant threats to coastal environments, with the potential to decimate much of their biodiversity. While corals, estuaries, mangroves, and seagrasses have traditionally dominated scientific literature and conservation efforts in the marine realm, sandy beaches—despite being the most widespread ecosystem along the world’s coastlines—are often overlooked. These beaches serve as a vital link between marine and terrestrial environments.
As unique ecotones, sandy beaches host diverse and endemic assemblages and provide several key ecosystem services, such as coastal protection, food provision, and water purification. Unfortunately, they are also the coastal ecosystem most heavily used by people and are significantly impacted by both climate change and human activities on land and in the sea. According to the Texas General Land Office, 64% of the Texas coast is eroding at an average rate of six feet per year, with some locations losing up to 30 feet annually. When combined with the impacts of pollution, tourism, oil spills, and coastal development, we face the potential loss of sandy beach ecosystems and the benefits they provide. In this project, we will investigate the environmental characteristics and biodiversity of Texas sandy beach ecosystems, focusing on both invertebrates and vertebrates. Our ultimate goal is to provide crucial information that can inform the development of effective conservation and management plans to protect Texas beaches. |