Gussenhoven Seminar: Emily Hall, MOTE

“From HABs to Coral: Our Changing Climate” Dr. Emily Hall joined the staff at Mote Marine Laboratory in the Chemical Ecology Program in 2005 where she was most involved with research and monitoring of nutrient patterns in relation to harmful algal blooms in the west-central coast of Florida, and investigating sources of nutrients in aquatic systems using stable isotopes as well as other tracers. Dr. Hall currently manages the Ocean Acidification Program where she is developing ocean acidification and climate change experimental systems (in the Florida Keys – OAFTERU and in Sarasota – OASys) to study the effects global and local variables on coral reef ecosystems as well as on other marine organisms. also leads research cruises and field sampling days for projects such as the county-funded Sarasota Bay monitoring program, state-funded red tide monitoring and federally funded red tide monitoring. Other projects that Dr. Hall has worked on include a minimum flows and levels project in the Myakka River; determining water quality in multiple tidal creeks with a focus on TMDLs and running bioassays to determine the use of organic and inorganic nutrients by the phytoplankton community (including Karenia brevis) in the west-central coast of Florida. She has also worked extensively with long-term data sets. Dr. Hall is also an adjunct professor at Ringling College of Art and Design, where she initiated cooperative work between the artists at Ringling and the scientists at Mote to produce public outreach tools for Florida red tide awareness. Her main interests now are pursuing work in ocean acidification and its effects on corals, coral reef ecosystems, and toxicity of harmful algal blooms (HABs) including Karenia brevis to apply concepts like forecasting ocean acidification effects on coral reef ecosystem species and public outreach.