Project Grant 02D42823

DESCRIPTION:THIS ACTION PROVIDES FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF $750,000 TO SUPPORT THE SOUTH FLORIDA WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT. THIS PURPOSE OF THIS AWARD IS TO EXPLORE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OYSTER POPULATION CHANGES AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS BASED ON TEMPORAL EVOLUTION OF THE SOM BEST-MATCHING UNITS. THIS PROJECT WILL PROVIDE ECOLOGICALLY MEANINGFUL GUIDANCE TO WATER MANAGEMENT OPERATIONS, INFORM HYDROLOGIC AND HABITAT RESTORATION TARGETS, AND PROVIDE PRIORITIZATION TOOLS FOR NATURAL RESOURCE PRACTITIONERS ENHANCING AND RESTORING OYSTER REEF HABITAT. THE ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED INCLUDE TO QUANTIFY AND FORECAST CHANGES IN OYSTER LARVAL TRANSPORT, ESTUARINE HABITAT AREA, AND PRODUCTION WITH VARIATIONS IN CLIMATE, INFLOW, CIRCULATION, AND WATER MANAGEMENT USING MACHINE LEARNING, HYDRODYNAMIC AND ECOLOGICAL MODELING. THE ANTICIPATED DELIVERABLES INCLUDE THE SEMI-ANNUAL AND FINAL REPORTS, AND GUIDANCE FOR FUTURE IMPLEMENTATION FOR WATER MANAGEMENT OPERATORS, AS WELL AS MODELING. THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES OF THIS PROJECT ARE THE CITIZENS OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA.ACTIVITIES:-SUBRECIPIENT:THE SANIBEL-CAPTIVA CONSERVATION FOUNDATION (SCCF) WILL CONDUCT SPAT MONITORING IN THE CRE AND SAN CARLOS BAY IN SUPPORT OF OYSTER LARVAE TRANSPORT MODEL VALIDATION FROM PHASE I. SCCF WILL COORDINATE WITH THE SFWMD AND USF CO-PIS TO CROSSWALK AND QUANTITATIVELY ASSESS PERFORMANCE OF IN SITU SPAT SETTLEMENT WITH OBSERVED INFLOW DATA. THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA (USF) WILL EMPLOY A MACHINE LEARNING TOOL TO STUDY THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OYSTER POPULATIONS AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS AND WILL USE THE WEST FLORIDA SHELF COASTAL OCEAN MODEL (WFCOM) TO SIMULATE OYSTER LARVAE TRANSPORT IN THE CRE USING HISTORICAL, BIOLOGICAL, AND WATER MANAGEMENT/WATER QUALITY DATA.OUTCOMES:-