Coastal Ocean Research and Monitoring Program (CORMP):  This interdisciplinary oceanographic program is funded through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration by congressional appropriation.  This program, which was initially funded in 1998, supports efforts by a large number of UNCW investigators and collaborators from other universities and agencies to study the physical, geological, chemical and biological properties of the coastal ocean in the Cape Fear region.  Monitoring work has focused on larval fish recruitment, the discharge of materials from the Cape Fear River, effects of storm events on bottom sediments and organisms, physical and chemical signals of water movements at various scales of space and time, the biology of marine vertebrate populations, and analysis of the effects of hurricanes on the coastal ocean.  See the CORMP web page at: www.cormp.org.

  Continental Shelf and Slope Studies: Investigations of the taxonomy, biomass and ecology of benthic microalgae, demersal zooplankton, and macrofauna in sediments and seawater from the continental shelf and slope regions off North Carolina indicate that benthic primary productivity is an important part of shelf and slope ecosystems. Investigations of shelf hardbottom- associated algae and invertebrates, soft-bottom communities, and links between these two habitats are being conducted to identify factors controlling these systems, and to determine the importance of trophic links between different habitat types. The coupling of benthic productivity with other parts of these ecosystems including reef fishes is also of interest.

Artificial Reef Studies: Research is being conducted to provide better understanding of how fishes utilize artificial reefs with respect to feeding, reproduction, and other behaviors and to determine how the benthic communities on and adjacent to these reefs function compared to those on natural hardbottoms. Important questions include whether these reefs increase the numbers and biomass of fish, or whether they cause existing fish to congregate in the reef area; and whether artificial reefs develop a resident community functionally similar to natural hardbottoms.

Reef Fish Trophic Studies: This project involves investigating the relative contributions of hard bottom associated foods, soft bottom foods, and planktonic foods to reef fish diets on innershelf and midshelf natural and artificial reefs in Onslow Bay, North Carolina, with the goal of identifying the source of the primary productivity supporting reef associated fishes. Current methods include gut analysis of key forage fishes and comparison with food resources through benthic sample analyses along with corollary stable isotope analyses of key reef species.

Nutrient Cycling: Atmospheric deposition can be a significant source of nitrate and ammonium, and possibly of other nutrients, to surface coastal seawater, and even small additions of rain to seawater can at times stimulate production of chlorophyll a. Nutrients, in particular dissolved silica from biogenic silica, can also be delivered to the water column from the pore waters in marine sediments. The relative importance of these processes is under investigation.

Chemical Ecology: Investigation of the chemical defenses of soft-bodied marine invertebrate organisms, particularly sponges and corals, currently focuses on the role of secondary metabolites present in the tissues of these animals as anti-predatory and anti-fouling agents.

Chemical Speciation: The chemical speciation of several trace metals in seawater, including organic complexation, is a topic of investigation. The impact of rainwater as a source of the oxidant hydrogen peroxide to surface seawater is being assessed. The bio-production and reactions of small organic molecules in the seawater column is under study with respect to their role in the global cycling of carbon.

The National Undersea Research Program (NOAA): conducts research in fisheries management, ocean floor processes, coastal ocean processes, and marine mineral resources management in the southeastern United States and the Gulf of Mexico. This program also develops technology for using submersibles, remotely operated vehicles, and for wet deep diving.

Dr. Lewis Abrams, Associate Professor of Geology -

Dr. Brooks Avery, Jr., Post Doctoral Research Scientist/Lecturer -

Dr. Frederick M. Bingham, Associate Professor of Physics and Physical Oceanography - Large scale descriptive physical oceanography

Dr. Lawrence B. Cahoon, Professor of Biology- Benthic microalgal production, nutrient cycling, sediment-water interface processes.

Dr. Ileana E. Clavijo, Associate Professor of Biology - Fisheries biology, tropical and Gulf Stream fishes.

Dr. William J. Cleary, Professor of Geology - Continental margin sedimentation and processes, basin plain sedimentation.

Dr. James A. Dockal, Associate Professor of Geology - Chemical diagenesis of sediments, hydrogeology, saltwater influx into coastal aquifers.

Dr. Michael Durako, Associate Professor of Biology - Coastal and Marine botany, biology of seagrasses.

Dr. Steven D. Emslie, Assistant Professor of Biology - Ornithology, seabird ecology, and avian paleontology.

Dr. Nancy Grindlay, Associate Professor of Geology - Morphology, structure and evolution of submarine plate boundaries; magnetic properties of oceanic basalts; slope instability and sediment movement across continental and insular margins.

Dr. Robert J. Kieber, Professor of Chemistry - Aquatic chemistry, photochemical processes and metal speciation in natural waters.

Dr. Thomas E. Lankford, Jr., Assistant Professor - 

Dr. Richard A. Laws, Professor of Geology - Distribution, ecology and taxonomy of estuarine and marine benthic microalgae.

Dr. Lynn A. Leonard, Associate Professor of Geology - Estuarine systems, coastal processes, sediment transport, and wetland studies

Dr. Mike Mallin, Research Associate Professor - 

Dr. Joseph R. Pawlik, Professor of Biology - Biochemical cues and biofouling of marine invertebrates.

Dr. Martin H. Posey, Professor - Predator-prey interactions.

Mr. Andy N. Shepard, Science Director for The National Undersea Research Program (NOAA) - Reef invertebrates.

Dr. Stephen A. Skrabal, Assistant Professor of Chemistry - Trace metal speciation, sediment-water chemical exchange, estuarine and marine geochemistry.

Dr. Joan D. Willey, Professor of Chemistry - Rainwater chemistry and impacts on coastal waters, geochemistry of silica in marine sediments and seawater.